The United States will start imposing hefty new fees on ships owned, operated, or built by Chinese companies starting Oct. 14, sharply escalating a maritime trade dispute between the world’s two largest economies, reports Caixin. The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued detailed guidance outlining how the fees—authorized under a Section 301 investigation by the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR)—will be assessed and collected. The notice assigns payment responsibility directly to ship operators rather than to US authorities.
A shipping executive told Caixin that, due to the ongoing partial US government shutdown, CBP lacks sufficient personnel to enforce the new rule. As a result, shipowners are required to self-assess and pay the fees through the Treasury Department’s online platform, Pay.gov, before entering US ports.
Vessels that fail to provide electronic proof of payment to CBP’s Vessel Entrance and Clearance System (VECS) risk being denied unloading privileges or experiencing clearance delays. CBP recommends that operators start the payment process at least three working days before arrival.