The Trump administration announced on Thursday that it will suspend for one year all U.S. port fees imposed on China-linked vessels, as part of a broader effort to ease maritime trade tensions and open negotiations with Beijing over its dominance in global shipbuilding and ocean logistics.
According to a notice issued by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) in the Federal Register, the suspension—set to take effect from November 10, 2025—will pause punitive measures imposed under the “Section 301” unfair trade practices investigation into China’s maritime sector.
The move temporarily halts an estimated $3.2 billion in annual U.S. fees targeting large Chinese-built vessels calling at American ports. It was among several de-escalatory measures agreed between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping during their late-October meeting in South Korea.
Also paused are 100% tariffs on ship-to-shore cranes and container intermodal chassis, which had raised costs for port operators and trucking firms.
“Pursuant to this deal, the United States would suspend for one year, beginning on November 10, 2025, the responsive actions taken in this investigation,” USTR said in its notice. “The United States also would negotiate with China pursuant to Section 301 regarding the issues raised in this investigation.”
While the USTR did not specify the framework or timeline for the upcoming negotiations, it emphasized that the U.S. will continue its own initiatives to revitalize domestic shipbuilding and will coordinate with “key allies and partners” on related industrial goals.
The agreement also includes reciprocal measures from Beijing. China has paused its own retaliatory port fees on U.S.-linked vessels, according to the notice.
Hawaii-based ocean carrier Matson Inc. (MATX.N) said earlier this week that it had paid $6.4 million in Chinese port fees since their implementation on October 14. Meanwhile, state-owned COSCO Shipping Holdings (600428.SS) is expected to be the most affected Chinese carrier, with analysts estimating exposure of up to $1.5 billion annually to the U.S. port fee structure.
Neither the USTR nor China’s embassy in Washington responded immediately to requests for comment.
The 12-month reprieve marks the latest in a series of tentative steps by Washington and Beijing to stabilize trade relations amid mounting concerns over shipbuilding capacity, supply-chain security, and global shipping competitiveness.
