China Retaliates Against U.S. Connected Vessels

On October 14, 2025, the U.S. Trade Representative imposed substantial fees on Chinese-built, otherwise Chinese-connected vessels, and most foreign-built vehicle carriers whether built in China or not. On the same day, the Chinese Ministry of Transport imposed retaliatory fees on "US vessels" as set forth in a "Notice of the General Office of the Ministry of Transport on the Issuance of the Implementation Measures for the Collection of Special Port Fees on US Vessels."¹Here, we will review what is known to date on the Chinese-imposed fees.

The Chinese imposed fees apply to vessels built in the United States, vessels registered in the United States regardless of where built, and certain vessels connected to the United States. Where built and where registered are easy to ascertain – the sufficiency of the U.S. connection is not so easy to ascertain.