Alliances under threat from US Port Fees
A wave of new US regulatory measures is threatening to upend global shipping routes and destabilise long-standing carrier alliances.
Just as businesses began digesting the latest round of tariff proposals from the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR), the reintroduction of the SHIPS for America Act to the new U.S. Congress threatens to create new cost burdens for shipping lines and that means trouble for their customers, too.
Designed to reduce US reliance on Chinese-built vessels, the Act introduces new penalties for carriers based on where their ships are constructed or maintained. These new charges come on top of the escalating USTR port fees for Chinese-owned tonnage, further increasing the financial strain on a sector already under pressure.
The original USTR proposal in February sparked concern with its call for surcharges on carriers operating vessels built in China. Although that clause was dropped in a later revision, the same idea has resurfaced with more weight through the SHIPS for America Act.
Now, both Chinese and non-Chinese carriers are at risk of added fees if they’ve placed orders with, or rely on maintenance from yards owned by China State Shipbuilding Corporation. The legislation creates a new sliding scale of penalties based on order-book exposure:
• $5/ton for vessels operated by Chinese carriers or registered in China.
• $5/ton for non-Chinese operators with >50% of new-builds at “yards of concern.”
• $3.5/ton if 25–49% of new-builds are at those yards.
• $1.25/ton if the existing fleet is 50%+ China-built or -maintained.
Each vessel would be charged only once based on the highest applicable tier, but these fees stack on top of the USTR’s phased-in port charges—starting in October at $18 per net vessel tonnage, or $120 per container discharged, whichever is higher. By April 2028, the charge will have risen incrementally to either $33 per net tonnage of the vessel, or $250 per container discharged.
On top of this, any vessel operated by a Chinese carrier, regardless of where it was built, will pay an extra $50 per ton, rising to $140 per ton by 2028.
USTR: Real Costs, Fewer Options
For carriers like COSCO, the impact is stark. A 14,500 TEU vessel like the Denali, China-built and China-operated, would rack up over $4.6 million in total charges per US call.
While carriers could attempt to reallocate tonnage to reduce exposure, such strategies may now be blocked by overlapping rules. For example, CMA CGM—part of the Ocean Alliance with COSCO has over 35% of its future fleet under construction at CSSC yards, qualifying it for the $3.5/ton fee even though it’s not Chinese-owned.
This leaves alliance partners with few “clean” alternatives. In most cases, they’ll be forced to choose the least expensive penalty, not an escape route.
This imbalance may sow division between alliance members, as carriers exempt from the new penalties are likely to insulate themselves, making Chinese-linked partners less attractive to shippers. Analysts warn this could lead to the break-up or restructuring of alliances, as carriers reassess who they collaborate with and where.
More Than a Surcharge: Strategic Implications for Shippers
Shippers will almost certainly face higher freight rates or new surcharges as carriers attempt to recover costs. But beyond price hikes, the legislation points to deeper structural change, as any push to avoid Chinese-linked carriers could result in fewer service choices and increased freight volatility.
Section 415 of the Act mandates that a growing share of cargo from China must move on US-built vessels, starting at 1%of total tonnage five years after enactment and climbing to 10%. Any shipper failing to comply would face penalties equivalent to the cost difference between using a US- versus foreign-built vessel.
While enforcement details are still to be clarified, the direction of travel is clear: fewer choices, higher costs, and growing complexity for importers sourcing from China.
In a time of regulatory upheaval, choosing the right carrier, contract, and route has never been more critical. Whether you need strategic advice, cost modelling, or access to compliant, resilient capacity, Logicall is here to help.
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