USTR Notice of Action on Chinese Vessels – Fee Structure and Implementation Timeline Home / News / Club News / Update: U.S. Port Fees on Chinese-Built Vessels – Fee Structure and Implementation Timeline Club News Update: U.S. Port Fees on Chinese-Built Vessels – Fee Structure and Implementation Timeline 24 April, 2025 USTR Notice of Action on Chinese Vessels – Fee Structure and Implementation Timeline The USTR has now issued its long-anticipated notice of action.  Below are the key points relevant for immediate awareness and response: Delayed Implementation Period The new fee structure will not take immediate effect. For the first 180 days following implementation, the applicable fees are set at US$0. This effectively acts as a transition period, likely intended to provide stakeholders with time to adjust operationally and administratively. Fee Structure Post-Implementation Following the initial 180-day period, fees will be levied on the basis of net tonnage per U.S. voyage, and will increase incrementally over several years. These fees apply to two distinct categories: Owners and operators of Chinese vessels , based on net tonnage per U.S. voyage; Operators of Chinese-built vessels , calculated either by net tonnage or by the number of containers, depending on the vessel type. The implementation timeline for these fees is as follows: Effective 17 April 2025 – Fee remains US$0 per net ton (beginning of grace period). Effective 14 October 2025 – Fee increases to US$18 per net ton. Effective 17 April 2026 – Fee increases to US$23 per net ton. Effective 17 April 2027 – Fee increases to US$28 per net ton. Effective 17 April 2028 – Fee increases to US$33 per net ton. These phased increases suggest a deliberate strategy to ramp up economic pressure gradually, while allowing the industry to adapt over time. No Fleet-Wide Fee (At This Time) Notably, the USTR has opted not to impose any fleet-wide fee. According to the notice, this decision was based on public feedback