New fees on Chinese-owned or -operated vessels, Chinese-built vessels, and foreign-built vehicle carriers entering U.S. ports, as outlined here, will be imposed beginning Oct. 14. These fees are slated to increase significantly at regular intervals over the next three years.
The fees are being imposed following a determination by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative that China’s targeting of the maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors for dominance is unreasonable and burdens or restricts U.S. commerce and is therefore actionable under the Section 301 trade law.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection recently stated that the vessel operator, not CBP, is responsible for determining if a vessel owes these fees. Operators must pay the applicable fee on or before the entry of the vessel at the first U.S. port or place from outside the customs territory on a particular voyage.
CBP strongly encourages responsible parties to pay fees prior to vessel arrival as vessels without proof of payment will be subject to denial of lading or unlading operations, or granting of clearance withheld, until proof of payment can be verified. CBP recommends that operators initiate payment at least three business days in advance of vessel arrival.
More information can be found here.
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