Overview

• Both governments activated new port charges on Tuesday that target each other’s fleets, extending the trade clash into maritime shipping.
• China’s fees apply to ships that are U.S.-owned, operated, built or flagged, with exemptions for vessels built in China and empty ships entering for repair.
• Beijing will levy the charge at a voyage’s first port of call or for the first five voyages in a year, with annual accounting starting April 17.
• Washington’s earlier plan targets Chinese-owned, China-built or China-flagged vessels, framed as an effort to counter China’s shipbuilding dominance.
• Analysts estimate exposure at roughly 13% of the global oil tanker fleet and 11% of containerships, warning of distorted freight flows and a potential maritime tax spiral.