Port Freeport has opted to pay US$7.5 million in tariffs on two Chinese-made ship-to-shore cranes, concluding that the current 30 per cent duty is preferable to the risk of a higher future rate, reports New York's Journal of Commerce.

The Texas port said the super-postpanamax cranes, manufactured by China's ZPMC, have arrived and were entered into US Customs. The port plans to install and commission the cranes before year-end.

The 30 per cent tariff stems from an August trade truce between the US and China, agreed by the Trump administration ahead of a November 10 deadline for a new deal.

Port Freeport had considered placing the cranes in bonded warehouse status to defer duties, pending trade negotiations or a potential US Supreme Court ruling on the legality of Trump-era tariffs.

However, commission staff warned of a proposed action by the US Trade Representative that could impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on Chinese crane makers. A decision is expected in October.

In May, Port Freeport told the USTR it could face a US$25 million tariff bill on cranes ordered in November 2023. It said US seaports with crane contracts are in an "untenable situation."

The cranes arrive as Freeport prepares to deepen its ship channel from 51 feet to 56 feet. Commission staff said the risk of tariffs rising above 30 per cent outweighed the chance of a reduction.