US authorities have begun closing a long-standing loophole in the Harbor Maintenance Tax (HMT) system—a port charge intended to fund maintenance at US ports. This has been confirmed by representatives of the US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC).
Previously, shippers could avoid paying the HMT by routing containers through ports in Canada and Mexico and then delivering the cargo to the US by land. Since the charge was only collected upon entry into a US port, this arrangement gave foreign terminals a price advantage.
💵 Now the US intends to levy the port charge on cargo actually destined for the US market, even if it was unloaded outside the country. The FMC believes this will restore fair competition, support port infrastructure, and preserve jobs.
🍔 Some cargo flows are expected to return to US ports, and logistics companies will have to revise their routes to accommodate new tax conditions.
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