Revitalizing America’s maritime sector is an important and widely shared goal
The Washington DC-USA headquartered World Shipping Council (WSC) today voiced serious concerns regarding the port fee regime announced by the US Trade Representative (USTR), cautioning that the measures could undermine American trade, hurt U.S. producers, and weaken efforts to strengthen the nation’s maritime industry.
“Revitalizing America’s maritime sector is an important and widely shared goal, one that requires a long-term, legislative and industrial strategy. Unfortunately, the fee regime announced by USTR is a step in the wrong direction as it will raise prices for consumers, weaken U.S. trade and do little to revitalize the U.S. maritime industry,” stated Joe Kramek, President and CEO, World Shipping Council.
Concerns
The World Shipping Council outlined several key concerns:
Retroactive Port Fees: Applying fees to vessels that are already on the water offers no support for U.S. shipbuilding and, instead, risks harming American exporters — particularly farmers — at a time when global trade is facing significant strain.
Fees Calculated on NT: Structuring fees based on ship size, Net Tonnage (NT), disproportionately penalizes larger, more efficient vessels that deliver essential goods, including components used in U.S. production lines.
Fees on car carriers: Additionally, the USTR actions this week included a new and previously unannounced fee based on Car Equivalent Unit (CEU) capacity for almost every vehicle carrier in the world.
Legal and Strategic Concerns: WSC also flagged significant legal concerns, noting that the proposed fees appear to extend beyond the authority granted under U.S. trade law.
“We urge policymakers to pursue strategies that encourage growth, strengthen supply chain resilience, and avoid actions that risk harming American exporters, producers, and consumers at a time when global trade is already under pressure,” Kramek concluded.
