Maritime unimpressed by USTR’s fee regime

Carrier representatives and analysts remain unimpressed with the US Trade Representative’s (USTR’s) announcement to levy charges on Chinese-built or operated vessels according to their size as measured by net tonnage.

The World Shipping Council (WSC) argued that US exporters would be particularly hard hit by the fees, while adding that calculating fees on a net tonnage basis would penalise the larger, more efficient ships, raising the cost of shipping as a result.