Cars waiting for export at Pyeongtaek Port. Yonhap News.

The U.S. government has partially adjusted the port entry fee policy announced in April, which was aimed at curbing China's shipbuilding and shipping industries while encouraging the construction of U.S.-made vessels.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced that the port entry fee for foreign-built car carriers will be set at $46 per net ton.

Initially, in April, the USTR proposed a fee of $150 per CEU (a unit of space capable of transporting one car) for foreign car carriers entering the U.S., but adjusted it to $14 per ton in June, and has now revised it to $46 per ton.

The USTR explained that a per-ton fee structure is easier to manage and helps prevent manipulative activities aimed at lowering the fee amount.

The USTR further announced that the number of times the port entry fee can be charged for car carriers will be limited to five times per year.

Previously, the South Korean government submitted a formal opinion to the USTR requesting a cap on the number of times the fee could be charged, noting that car carriers often enter U.S. ports multiple times a year.

At the time, the Korean government also requested that the port entry fee be limited to China, the "original target" of the U.S. policy, but the USTR’s latest announcement did not include any provision restricting the fee to a specific country.

The port entry fee will take effect on the 14th of this month.

Additionally, the USTR decided not to block exports if liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporters fail to transport the USTR-mandated portion of LNG on U.S.-built vessels.

To encourage the construction of LNG carriers in the U.S., the USTR had previously mandated that 1% of total LNG export volumes be transported on U.S.-built LNG carriers starting April 17, 2028, with that portion increasing to 15% by 2047.

The original announcement included a provision stating that the USTR could suspend LNG export permits if this quota was not met, but this clause has now been removed.

The USTR explained that there is significant domestic demand for new LNG carriers and increased investment in the U.S. shipbuilding industry, expressing confidence that the construction of LNG carriers will be successfully achieved in the U.S. over the coming years.

Furthermore, the USTR confirmed that it will impose a 100% additional tariff on Chinese-made ship-to-shore (STS) cranes, as proposed in April.

Yonhap News