Watch The World/Shutterstock Save for later Print Download Share New rules on Chinese ships calling at US ports are churning up the waters for oil and refined product trade flows. Regulations from the US Trade Representative (USTR) that start this fall could prompt a major shift in shipping patterns that drives up the cost of imports, according to ship brokers. The burden falls on ship owners and fleet operators to pay a fee on laden, Chinese-built vessels discharging cargo at US ports. For Chinese vessel owners and operators, the fee will start in mid-October at $50 per net ton and rise to $140/ton by mid-April of 2028. For non-Chinese operators using Chinese-built vessels in their fleets, the fees start at $18/ton and rise to $33/ton over the same period. The fees can be imposed up to five times annually per ship.
