China’s shipyards breathe sigh of relief as US scales back port-fee plan
But major shipping carriers face even greater risks as new rules scrap upper limit for levies
Washington’s scaled-down port-fee plan has reduced the pressure on China’s shipyards while increasing the burden faced by major shipping carriers, analysts said.
For Chinese shipyards, the most significant change is the scrapping of a previous plan to charge fees to shipping companies based on how many Chinese-made vessels they had in their fleets and the number of orders they had placed with Chinese shipbuilders.
That earlier rule meant companies would have faced charges even when one of their non-Chinese-built vessels entered a US port, placing them under greater pressure not to buy from Chinese shipbuilders.
The removal of that clause “is a big relief for Chinese shipbuilders, as it significantly alleviates clients’ concerns about placing orders”, said a senior analyst at a state-owned Chinese shipping company, who requested anonymity due to company policies on speaking with the media.