The United States began imposing Section 301 port-entry fees on China-linked vessels on October 14, with charges reaching up to five times per vessel annually. The new fees are already being passed through to shippers as surcharges, reported US-headquartered Pricer.

Under Annex I, Chinese-owned or operated vessels now pay US$50 per net ton, rising to $140 by April 2028. For a typical 60,000-net-ton containership discharging 10,000 TEU at Los Angeles-Long Beach, this equates to $300 per TEU now and $840 by 2028.

Annex II targets Chinese-built vessels of any flag, charging the higher of $18-$33 per net ton or $120-$250 per container. The "higher-of" rule means per-container fees often apply, especially when TEU volumes exceed the break-even threshold.

China responded with reciprocal fees of CNY400-CNY1,120 per net ton on US-linked ships, adding up to $15 million on some VLCC voyages. SAFETY4SEA noted that exemptions and scope details are still evolving.

The US Customs and Border Protection has instructed operators to prepay fees or risk delays in lading, unlading, or clearance. Carriers are labelling the surcharge as "USTR Section 301 Vessel Fee Surcharge" on invoices.

Port impacts vary. West Coast container hubs face frequent charges, while Gulf ports handling bulk cargo see significant cost increases. East Coast ports show varied effects depending on commodity value density.

For example, $300 per TEU represents 0.6 per cent of a $54,000 shipment, while $840 per TEU reaches 1.6 per cent. Furniture shipments show the highest percentage impact, followed by apparel and electronics.

Shippers are exploring alternatives such as transshipment via third countries, land bridges through Canada or Mexico, and deploying non-Chinese-built vessels. Legal briefings warn against misclassification to avoid fees.

Strategies to reduce cost impact include consolidating SKUs, using off-peak windows, bonded moves, and tighter control of demurrage. Service contracts should define surcharge triggers and require itemised evidence.