U.S. Proposes Extending Port Fee Freeze On Chinese Ships To January 2027

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is planning to extend the suspension of port fees for Chinese ships for an additional two months, moving the expiry date from November 9, 2026, to January 9, 2027.

The intentional move is aimed at giving Washington and Beijing more time to negotiate and settle existing disputes over Chinese logistics, shipbuilding, and the increasing Chinese footprint in the global maritime industry through technological breakthroughs, rapid roll-out of new builds, and state-supported policies encouraging foreign investments into the country’s shipping sector.

If the proposal is finalised by the authorities, the extension would keep the fee on hold from 12:00 a.m. Eastern Time on November 10, 2026, through 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on January 9, 2027, and operators would face no fee obligations during this window.

However, the proposal has been subject to public review before it can take effect. The USTR opened a public consultation on October 23, 2026, and would accept feedback from businesses until 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on October 30, 2026.

This decision comes after a wider trade framework was agreed upon by the U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2025. After the agreement, the USTR brought a one-year pause on the measure from November 10, 2025, to November 9, 2026.

The port fee was introduced with rates from $18 per ton to $120 per container to counter the Chinese shipbuilding industry and stimulate the growth of U.S. shipyards. The initial regulation stated that carriers could get up to a 3-year fee exemption by commissioning newly built ships from U.S. shipyards.

However, shippers and industry groups have raised concerns over this matter. In September, a coalition of trade associations sent a letter to the U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer warning that the penalties could destabilize the transpacific supply chains amidst high operating costs and volatile capacity.

Imposition of a fee on Chinese-built ships, or those having links with the country, could have far-reaching effects for U.S .-based companies dependent on ocean transport to move goods into and out of the US, the coalition wrote.

Though the extension of the fee waiver delivers some short-term relief to companies operating between the U.S. and China, officials state that this is only temporary. Any further action after January 2027 will depend on the bilateral talks between the two countries.