US-China port fee truce: One-year suspension commencing 10 November 2025

Global marine insurer NorthStandard on Monday (3 November) shared more information regarding the one-year US-China port fee suspension:

The United States and China have agreed to a one-year suspension of their respective port service fees on vessels with a US or Chinese nexus, effective 10 November 2025. The agreement follows trade discussions and aims to stabilise maritime and economic relations between both nations.

Further to press reports of a trade deal reached between the United States and China on 30 October 2025, the White House has published a Fact Sheet dated 1 November 2025, available here.

The Fact Sheet confirms that a “trade and economic deal” was reached in the Republic of Korea between U.S. President Donald J. Trump and President Xi Jinping of China. It includes the following statement regarding suspension of the US service fees imposed on vessels with a Chinese nexus:

The United States will suspend for one year, starting on November 10, 2025, implementation of the responsive actions taken pursuant to the Section 301 investigation on China’s Targeting the Maritime, Logistics, and Shipbuilding Sectors for Dominance. In the meantime, the United States will negotiate with China pursuant to Section 301 while continuing its historic cooperation with the Republic of Korea and Japan on revitalizing American shipbuilding.

The PRC Ministry of Commerce has also reported on the agreement (Chinese version only), available here.

According to that report, the United States will suspend its Section 301 measures first, after which China will reciprocally suspend its special port fees on vessels with a US nexus. 

Accordingly, if the United States duly implements its suspension on 10 November 2025, China is expected to suspend its countermeasures against vessels with a US nexus for the same one-year period.

Further clarification is awaited, including whether fees will continue to be charged in the interim period up to 10 November 2025. No details have yet been published on this or on any potential refund or claw-back mechanism for fees already paid or payable in the interim period, although there are reports that some ship operators are engaging U.S. counsel to seek guidance from the relevant US authorities.

As advised previously, should members be unsure about how the port fees will affect them, they should seek US or PRC legal advice as appropriate, or contact the Club’s dedicated US-China Tariffs team or their usual Club contact for further assistance.

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Published: 5 November, 2025