U.S. port fees on Chinese ships, Korea may gain

The United States announced on April 17 (local time) that it will begin imposing port fees on Chinese-built ships docking at U.S. ports starting this October. The move aims to weaken China's dominance in the global shipbuilding industry and revive the U.S. shipbuilding sector, which is closely linked to national security. As the U.S.-China conflict expands beyond tariffs to maritime logistics, some analysts say South Korea’s shipbuilding industry may benefit.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) stated that, beginning 180 days from now, fees will be imposed on Chinese shipping companies, carriers operating Chinese-built vessels, and foreign-built car carriers. Starting October 14, a fee of $50 per net ton (NT) will be charged for ships operated by Chinese shipping companies, increasing to $140 per NT by 2028.

Foreign shipping companies that own vessels built in China will also face fees of $18 per NT, rising to $33 per NT by 2028. However, exemptions will apply to U.S.-owned ships, vessels without cargo, and smaller-sized ships. For car carriers, a fee of $150 per car-equivalent unit (CEU) will be charged for non-U.S.-built vessels. In contrast, foreign shipping firms that order new U.S.-built ships of equal or greater size than their current fleets will receive up to a three-year grace period for the existing vessels.

According to Bloomberg, more than one-third of the world’s operating vessels, based on tonnage, are currently built in China. The report noted that both U.S. political parties view maritime security as a key national security concern.


Woo-Sun Lim imsun@donga.com