BEIJING/LOS ANGELES, Oct 10 - China will begin imposing port charges on ships that are owned, operated, built, or registered in the United States starting Tuesday, in response to similar fees implemented by the U.S. targeting vessels linked to China, according to China’s transport ministry on Friday.

Later that day, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a new round of measures, including raising tariffs on Chinese goods to 100% and setting restrictions on vital software exports, citing China's recent controls on rare earth exports.

Though only a small portion of international shipping involves vessels built or flagged by the United States, China’s move extends to companies where U.S.-based investment funds hold at least 25% ownership or board representation, which could broaden the scope of affected firms.

"This creates a far-reaching impact and could hit numerous listed shipping firms on U.S. exchanges,” noted Erik Broekhuizen, a shipping analyst at Poten & Partners.

"The implications are substantial."

Simultaneously, vessels linked to China, whether through ownership, development, or operation, will face port fees at their first American port of call from Tuesday onward.

U.S. shipping firm Matson informed clients that it will be subject to these new charges at Chinese ports but does not intend to alter its service routes.

Other affected entities may include American President Lines, a division of CMA-CGM, and Israeli carrier Zim, which likely has over 25% U.S. investment ownership, according to Lars Jensen, CEO of maritime consultancy Vespucci Maritime.

These newly introduced fees, both in China and the U.S., will also apply to approximately 100 ships owned by Poseidon's Seaspan and leased to major container operators, Jensen added.

Companies including Maersk Line Limited, APL, Zim, and Seaspan have not yet offered any public statements regarding the new charges.

While most oil tankers are not U.S.-based, they may still be subject to China's port fees due to their listing on U.S. exchanges, experts said.

Scorpio Tankers, which owns one of the newest and largest fleets in the sector and is listed in the U.S., is among those potentially affected but has not yet commented.

Broekhuizen stated in a market update that the new Chinese levies have rattled the tanker industry, noting that many ships that would fall under the fee criteria are en route to China.

Data from ship brokerage Fearnleys shows that close to 10% of the global very large crude carrier fleet, along with 13% of the Suezmax, Aframax, and LR2 segments, could be impacted.

An assessment by energy analytics firm Vortexa indicates that 43 supertankers transporting liquefied petroleum gas — about 10% of the global fleet — will be subject to the Chinese charges, according to analyst Samantha Hartke.

Chinese-owned or operated ships heading to the United States will pay a flat fee of $50 per net ton per journey. Analysts expect China’s COSCO, including its OOCL division, to bear the greatest burden, estimating costs of around $2 billion by 2026. COSCO has not commented on this estimate.

The U.S. measures, introduced following an investigation by the U.S. Trade Representative, are part of broader efforts to reinvigorate domestic shipbuilding and limit China’s rising influence in global shipping.

China's transport ministry criticized the U.S. actions as discriminatory, accusing them of severely disrupting China’s shipping interests, destabilizing the global logistics network, and threatening international trade norms.

The office of the U.S. Trade Representative has yet to respond to the criticism.

Over the last 20 years, China has emerged as the global leader in shipbuilding, with its largest shipyards catering to both commercial and defense sectors.

These newly introduced fees from both sides add further complexity and financial burden to the global shipping system, which could in turn harm exporters, industries, and consumers worldwide, said Joe Kramek, president of the World Shipping Association.

Starting Tuesday, vessels linked to the U.S. arriving at Chinese ports will pay a fee of 400 yuan ($56.13) per net ton. This will increase to 640 yuan ($89.81) on April 17, 2026, jump to 880 yuan ($123.52) in April 2027, and reach 1,120 yuan ($157.16) by April 17, 2028.

Sino-American tensions have risen since September, as the two nations struggle to move beyond a 90-day pause in tariff escalations that began on August 11 and ends around November 9.

Throughout this year, tit-for-tat tariffs have significantly reduced Chinese purchases of American agricultural and energy goods.

($1 = 7.1241 yuan)