More turmoil at sea ahead as US, China roll out tit-for-tat port fees

Beijing also sanctions five US-linked units of South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean

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The US and China on Oct 14 began levying port fees on ocean shipping firms that move everything from holiday toys to crude oil, making the high seas a key front in the trade war between the world's two largest economies.

A return to an all-out trade war appeared imminent last week, after China announced a major expansion of its rare earths export controls and US President Donald Trump threatened to raise tariffs on Chinese goods to triple digits.

But after the weekend, both sides sought to reassure traders and investors, highlighting cooperation between their negotiating teams and the possibility they could find a way forward.

China said it had started to collect the special charges on US-owned, operated, built or flagged vessels but clarified that Chinese-built ships would be exempted from the levies.

In details published by state broadcaster CCTV, China spelt out specific provisions on exemptions, which also include empty ships entering Chinese shipyards for repair.

The China-imposed port fees would be collected at the first port of entry on a single voyage or for the first five voyages within a year, following an annual billing cycle beginning on April 17.

Early in 2025, the Trump administration announced plans to levy fees on China-linked ships to loosen China's grip on the global maritime industry and bolster US shipbuilding.