No China ship surcharge; Seaspan to reflag 100 vessels

Maersk, the world’s second-largest ocean container line, said it won’t levy a surcharge on shippers when U.S. port fees aimed at blunting China’s commercial maritime dominance take effect next month.

The so-called Section 301 fees formulated by the office of the United States Trade Representative on Chinese-built and -operated ships are scheduled to be phased in over a three-year period beginning Oct. 14

The fees aim to blunt China’s growing dominance of shipping and shipbuilding, which a USTR investigation begun under the Biden administration found were attained through anti-competitive practices.

“We have no intention to introduce any surcharge in connection with this rule,” Maersk (OTC: AMKBY) said in an advisory to customers.

The carrier added it does not anticipate adjustments to its U.S. port rotations or existing service plans.

The fee starts at $50 per net ton, increasing annually to $140 per net ton by April 17, 2028. It’s charged once per U.S. port rotation per vessel, capped at five voyages per year.

Hapag-Lloyd (OTC: HLAGF), which partners with Maersk on Gemini services, earlier said it will not apply Section 301 surcharges.

Shippers and carriers are navigating the unknown; the USTR has provided little guidance as the deadline nears. Some lines have shifted China-built ships out of U.S. schedules to other services.

The world’s largest independent container ship owner, Seaspan, plans to relocate its headquarters from Hong Kong to Singapore and reflag 100 vessels, according to a report in Shipping Watch.

CMA CGM of France, a member of the Ocean Alliance with Cosco (OTC: CICOY) and OOCL of China, and Taiwan’s Evergreen (2603.TW), also plans no surcharge. But one analysis found the port fees could cost Cosco (OTC: CICOY), China’s largest carrier, and OOCL of Hong Kong as much as $2.1 billion in 2026.

The Premier Alliance of Ocean Network Express (ONE), Yang Ming and Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) is said to be shuffling its China tonnage though this has not been confirmed.

Find more articles by Stuart Chirls here.

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