In a determined step toward balancing trade, the Trump administration has responded to China’s unfair maritime dominance by imposing new port fees on Chinese vessels docking at U.S. ports.
See the tweet below.
This strategy aims to revitalize American shipbuilding while cracking down on Beijing’s predatory trade practices that have decimated the domestic industry for decades.
The fees, beginning mid-October, mark another front in Trump’s battle to make America the leader in global trade.
Starting next month, Chinese ship owners will be charged $50 per ton of cargo when docking at American ports, with fees increasing by $30 annually over the next three years.
Chinese-built vessels will also face fees starting at $18 per ton or $120 per container.
The charges apply once per voyage, up to five times annually, with strategic exemptions for empty vessels and certain shipping routes.
U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer emphasized the national security implications behind the decision.
“Ships and shipping are vital to American economic security and the free flow of commerce,” Greer stated.
“The Trump administration’s actions will begin to reverse Chinese dominance, address threats to the US supply chain, and send a demand signal for US-built ships,” he added.
Trump administration announces fees on Chinese ships docking at U.S. ports https://t.co/ZwOvnxQBuJ
— CNBC (@CNBC) April 18, 2025
Furthermore, the administration’s investigation found overwhelming evidence of China’s maritime dominance strategy and its harmful effects on American industry.
The U.S. shipbuilding sector currently accounts for less than 1% of global output, while China has systematically expanded its control over global shipping through unfair subsidies and trade practices.
The USTR did not mince words about the threat: “China has largely achieved its dominance goals, severely disadvantaging US companies, workers, and the US economy.”
In a telling response that reveals Beijing’s nervousness about the policy, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson claimed the fees “will not revitalise the US shipbuilding industry” – a defensive reaction that suggests quite the opposite.
China recognizes that Trump’s America First policies are directly challenging its economic stranglehold.
Notably, the final fee structure is more strategic and measured than the initial proposals, which included a $3.5 million charge per docking.
The administration showed its business acumen by tailoring the approach after receiving input from industry stakeholders, including over 300 trade groups.
Additionally, ship owners can receive fee waivers by ordering American-built vessels, creating powerful incentives to bring shipbuilding jobs back to American shores.
This represents a dramatic shift from past administrations that stood by while China systematically overtook vital U.S. industries.
The policy includes a second phase beginning in three years that will further favor U.S.-built LNG ships, with restrictions increasing over 22 years.
This demonstrates Trump’s characteristic long-term vision for American industrial revival.
Trump signed an executive order specifically targeting the revitalization of U.S. shipbuilding for both commercial and defense purposes.
This dual-purpose approach recognizes the strategic importance of shipbuilding beyond economic considerations—it is about national security and restoring American manufacturing might.
While leftist critics and global elites predictably bemoan these defensive measures, patriotic Americans understand that decades of unfettered Chinese access to the markets have hollowed out American industries and weakened economic sovereignty.
Now, the Trump administration is finally standing up to China’s economic warfare after years of Washington politicians doing nothing but talking.
