Vessels built, owned, or operated in China will be refused loading and unloading at US ports if they arrive without proof of payment under the new Section 301 vessel fee regime taking effect on October 14.

The United States will begin enforcing new port fees targeting Chinese-built, owned, and operated vessels this month, with ships that fail to provide proof of payment facing denial of loading and unloading operations at US ports, the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said in a new operational guidance.

The new rules take effect on 14 October 2025 and require vessel operators to pay the applicable Section 301 fees before their first port entry into the country. CBP said the responsibility for determining whether a vessel is subject to the charge lies entirely with the vessel operator, not the agency itself.

The measures stem from the Office of the US Trade Representative’s (USTR) Section 301 investigation into China’s efforts to dominate the global maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding industries through state-backed industrial policies. The probe, launched in April and modified in June, concluded that such practices undermined fair competition and national security interests. Under the new regime, Chinese-owned or -operated vessels will face a fee of US$50 per net tonne, while Chinese-built ships will be charged either US$18 per net tonne or US$120 per container discharged—whichever is higher. Vehicle carriers and Ro-Ro vessels will incur a US$14 per net tonne fee, though liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers are exempt.

Payments must be made directly through the US Treasury’s secure Pay.gov platform, which links to the Vessel Entrance and Clearance System (VECS) to confirm payment before port entry. CBP urged operators to complete transactions at least three business days before arrival to avoid operational delays.