- Beijing will implement a special port fee for ships linked to the US starting October 14.
- The surcharge starts at 400 yuan per net ton and rises to 1.120 yuan in 2028, with a cap of five annual charges per vessel.
- The measure replicates Washington's surcharges on Chinese ships following the Section 301 investigation.
- Trump also announced a 100% tariff on Chinese imports and controls on strategic software.
La trade tensions between China and the United States gains strength again: from October 14, Beijing will impose a "special port fee" on ships linked to the US. in response to US measures on the maritime sector and the new tariff escalation announced by Washington.
The scheme will be progressive and per net ton, with per-ride charge: starts at 400 yuan (approx. $56,11 and €48,49) and will rise in stages to 1.120 yuan; in addition, it will only be billed at the first Chinese port where the ship docks and will be limited to a maximum of five payments per year by boat.
What's changing for ships linked to the US?
The Ministry of Transport detailed that the surcharge will be applied to vessels of American owned, operated, or flagged, as well as those built in the US or belonging to companies with at least 25% capital from that country.
The fare will be charged for each trip and will gradually increase by consolidating a schedule of increases staggered
- 400 yuan per net ton from October 14
- 640 yuan from April 2026
- 880 yuan in April 2027
- 1.120 yuan from April 17, 2028
If the same vessel calls at several Chinese ports during the same journey, the surcharge It will only be required on the first scale, and in no case will it be applied more than five times a year to the same vessel, thus setting an operational limit clearly defined.
The precedent in Washington: surcharges on Chinese ships
The Chinese imposition replicates a similar measure announced by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. (USTR) following a Section 301 investigation into China's maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding industries.
According to the USTR, The United States plans to impose port fee surcharges on ships owned or operated by Chinese firms., to Chinese-flagged vessels and ships built in China, arguing that Beijing seeks a dominant position that “harms or restricts” US trade.
From Beijing This Washington policy is described as discriminatory and contrary to international commitments, which is why it has been decided to activate a countermeasure focused on the port area.
Tariff shift: announcement of 100% tariff on Chinese imports
In parallel, US President Donald Trump announced that as of November 1th An additional 100% tariff will be applied to virtually all imports from China, accompanied by new restrictions on software exports considered strategic.
The US announcement comes after China tightened export controls on rare earth, essential for sectors such as electronics and automotive, as well as after months of tensions in technology and semiconductors due to vetoes and cross-checks between both countries.
Chinese authorities They have called Washington's measure a double standard and maintain that WTO rules and the principle of reciprocity of the bilateral Maritime Transport Agreement are being violated, despite the exchange of documentation and consultations held in recent months. between the parties.
In the background, this new clash comes after a temporary tariff truce reached in the middle of the year that partially reduced taxes, but did not stop the dynamics of mutual pressure; the announcement of a surcharge on 100% rekindles the pulse just as key dates in the diplomatic and commercial calendar were approaching.
Expected impact on costs, chains and markets
Mirror measures in ports can raise the costs of maritime trade, especially on transpacific routes, and can be passed on to final prices for technological goods and manufactures with a high dependence on Chinese or American inputs.
Analysts anticipate increased financial volatility in the short term: After the retaliation became known, the S&P 500 fell by nearly 3%., cutting short the momentum that came from the enthusiasm for artificial intelligence and other major market themes.
On the political level, the climate complicates a possible meeting between Xi Jinping and Donald Trump planned on the sidelines of the APEC summit, which might not happen if the current tone of confrontation and the agendas of export controls and tariffs are maintained they are not moderated.
With the new port fees, Section 301 surcharges, and the announcement of a 100% tariff, The dispute has ceased to be a specific exchange of charges and has become a broader struggle for leadership in technology, logistics and shipbuilding, with the potential to reconfigure trade flows and investment strategies on both sides of the Pacific.
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