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USTR: New Section 301 Fees Imposed on Chinese-Owned, Operated, and Built Vessels, Plus All Foreign Vehicle Carriers
USTR: New Section 301 Fees Imposed on Chinese-Owned, Operated, and Built Vessels, Plus All Foreign Vehicle Carriers
October 11, 2025/
The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has announced new Section 301 fees targeting certain vessels with ties to China, as well as all foreign-built vehicle carrier vessels. These fees apply to vessels that are owned, operated, or built in China and are effective for arrivals on or after October 14, 2025. Vessel operators are solely responsible for determining whether their vessels are subject to these fees; U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will not make this determination on their behalf. All applicable fees must be remitted electronically through pay.gov.
Under Annex 1, vessels owned or operated by a Chinese entity will be assessed a fee of $50 per net ton upon arrival.
Under Annex 2, Chinese-built vessels will be assessed the higher of $18 per net ton or $120 per container discharged.
Under Annex 3, vessels classified as vehicle carriers or roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) vessels, if foreign-built, will be assessed a fee of $14 per net ton.
Operators should review vessel ownership, operational control, build origin, and vessel classification carefully to ensure compliance prior to arrival.
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