U.S. port-entry fees on China-linked and China-built vessels remain on track to resume Nov. 10, even though Washington and Beijing agreed last week to extend their broader trade truce until Jan. 10, 2027.

The gap leaves liner operators and cargo interests waiting for a formal U.S. Trade Representative action that would align the maritime-fee suspension with the newly extended diplomatic accord. As of Sept. 28, no such notice had been issued.

The fees were suspended for one year starting Nov. 10, 2025 as part of the U.S.-China economic détente. Under USTR's governing notice, the pause expires at 11:59 p.m. ET on Nov. 9. Fees become applicable again at the start of Nov. 10 unless the agency issues another modification.

The measure stems from USTR's Section 301 investigation into China's maritime, logistics and shipbuilding policies. It would impose service fees on vessels operated by Chinese companies, Chinese-owned vessels and, under a separate provision, Chinese-built ships operated by non-Chinese carriers. The original action also established a distinct fee regime for foreign-built vehicle carriers.

Truce buys time — but not for ship fees

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sept. 23 that the U.S. and China had agreed to extend the "Busan Agreement" — a trade truce that had been scheduled to expire Nov. 10 — by two months, to Jan. 10. The extension was announced as Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Washington with President Donald Trump.

The summit concluded Sept. 25 with limited public detail on the economic arrangements. USTR Jamieson Greer said details of the limited trade agreements would be released today. Reports indicated the two countries agreed to continue discussions on broader trade issues, including agricultural trade, non-tariff barriers and tariff relief for selected goods.

The truce announcement did not automatically amend the Section 301 notice. Without a new USTR action, the fee regime revives on its original administrative timetable.

Exposure extends far beyond Chinese carriers

The stakes reach well beyond Chinese carriers such as Cosco Shipping (1919.HK) and OOCL (0316.HK). The Section 301 action treats China-built vessels operated by carriers outside China separately — a provision that touches much of the global fleet orderbook given Chinese yards' dominance in newbuilding output.

Under the original fee schedule, covered Chinese vessel operators and Chinese-owned vessels faced a $50-per-net-ton fee. Non-Chinese operators using Chinese-built ships faced the higher of $18 per net ton or $120 per discharged container. The action also provided for escalating fee levels in subsequent years.

The structure limits fees to one chargeable call per vessel per rotation and no more than five chargeable rotations per calendar year. It includes exclusions and relief provisions for certain small vessels, vessels arriving empty, specified specialized trades, and owners that commit to acquiring U.S.-built tonnage.

If revived, the charges could push carriers to rework vessel deployments, port rotations and network design to cut exposure. Carriers could also seek to recover costs through surcharges or all-in freight rates, widening the impact to U.S. importers and exporters across trans-Pacific trade lanes.

Reciprocal Chinese measures hang in the balance

China's reciprocal "special port fees" on U.S.-linked vessels were suspended on a similar timetable. If the U.S. measure revives, Chinese charges could return in parallel. Both governments paused the maritime measures in November 2025 as part of the broader trade stabilization effort.

The timing is awkward for shipping lines. The broader U.S.-China accord now runs beyond the maritime-fee deadline, but the fees themselves remain governed by a separate USTR administrative action. Extending, revising or ending the Section 301 port-fee program requires a new notice.

More than 200 maritime and trade stakeholders have urged USTR to extend the suspension, arguing a restart would inject costs and uncertainty into trans-Pacific networks.

With the truce now running to Jan. 10 but the fee pause expiring Nov. 9, carriers and shippers face a six-week window in which USTR must either align the Section 301 program with the diplomatic accord or let the charges — and likely China's retaliation — come back into force.