USTR charges for Chinese-built and Chinese-owned ships will come into effect in the US on October 14, 2025. The main blow will fall on Chinese carriers Cosco Shipping and OOCL, which could pay more than $1.5 billion in 2026
📊 According to HSBC:
🟢Cosco Shipping — expenses will amount to about $1.53 billion,
🟢OOCL — about $654 million.
For other container lines (Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd, etc.), the impact will be minimal, since most of their fleet is not built in China. Today, only 15% of calls to US ports are made by Chinese-built ships.
🔄 Possible steps for Cosco and OOCL:
🟢Attracting Ocean Alliance partners (CMA CGM, Evergreen)
🟢Transferring more non-Chinese vessels to US routes
🟢Using bypass schemes via Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean with transshipment of cargo
Thus, the new rules may change the distribution of the fleet and even increase demand for feeder shipping
Seamen’s Club 🇺🇦 | #news