The United States has announced a one-year suspension, effective 10 November 2025, of the port fees imposed earlier this year under its Section 301 investigation into China’s maritime and shipbuilding industries. The decision follows discussions with Beijing, which has in turn indicated it will remove its own retaliatory measures on U.S. shipping interests.

The Section 301 framework allows the U.S. Trade Representative to act where a foreign government is found to have taken measures that unjustifiably restrict American trade. In January 2025, the USTR concluded that China’s policies in the shipbuilding, logistics, and maritime sectors met that threshold. Fees were introduced in April 2025 and came into effect in mid-October, targeting both Chinese-connected vessels and certain non-Chinese vehicle carriers.

China responded immediately, introducing matching port fees on U.S. vessels calling at Chinese ports and extending the definition of “U.S. vessel” to include ships owned or operated by American companies regardless of flag. Chinese authorities also sanctioned several South Korean entities alleged to have supported the U.S. investigation.

The White House announcement of 1 November confirms that all actions arising from the maritime investigation will be suspended while further negotiations proceed under Section 301. The statement also refers to continued cooperation with Japan and South Korea on shipbuilding policy, but gives no indication of the statutory basis for the suspension or the process by which the measures could be re-imposed. The relevant implementing notice has not yet been published, leaving the current fee regime technically in place until formal instructions are issued.

Industry responses suggest a degree of caution, with some operators deferring U.S. port calls until after the suspension takes effect. That uncertainty raises familiar questions around off-hire, laytime, and cost allocation, particularly where charterparties were agreed before the November announcement.

Members are advised to treat the measure as announced but not yet operational and to plan on the basis that existing fees remain payable until formal U.S. and Chinese directives are released.

The Club is monitoring developments.