Marine Logistics to Become Dual-Circuit: For the U.S. and the Rest of the World

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has released a decision regarding new port charges for vessels owned and/or operated by Chinese companies and those built in China. Additionally, fees are being introduced for all car carriers built outside the United States. In the future, a similar fee will be imposed on LNG tankers. The charges will take effect with a 180-day delay from the decision date, meaning from October. The previously planned fixed charge for port calls has been replaced by a capacity-based fee. Smaller vessels will be exempt from the charge (with the threshold set at 4,000 TEU for container ships). Exemptions also apply to vessels operating on short routes of less than 2,000 km and vessels owned by American companies and citizens. The document provides for the reimbursement of paid charges for up to three years if the operator places an order for the construction of a vessel at an American shipyard after delivery. It is likely that global marine logistics will now adopt a dual-circuit model: shipping lines and global forwarders will begin to design route schemes and charter vessels considering the new realities – for routes to the U.S. and other ports worldwide. Orders for the construction of new ships will also be redistributed.