The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), the industry’s top lobby group, has cautioned Washington over its plans to revitalise domestic shipbuilding by charging foreign-built vessels higher port fees.
The Trump administration’s long‑awaited Maritime Action Plan (MAP) has resurrected a controversial proposal to charge foreign‑built ships a per‑kilogram fee on imported cargo.
These plans are concerning for the U-Freight Group’s ocean freight teams given our strong presence in international container shipping and North American trade.
The 36‑page plan – which remains merely as proposals at present – features a universal infrastructure or security fee on all foreign‑built commercial vessels calling at US ports, to be assessed on the weight of the imported tonnage arriving on the vessel.
The plan modelled a fee range from USD0.01 to USD0.25 per kilogramme, which the ICS said would represent a substantial additional cost burden on maritime transport.
“Such measures risk distorting trade, increasing costs for US consumers and businesses, disrupting the smooth flow of global commerce, and could encourage retaliatory measures,” the ICS warned.
U-Freight continues to monitor developments in global container shipping lanes closely. We remain committed to supporting customers with reliable, flexible transport solutions across air, sea and multimodal services, helping navigate route changes and maintain resilience in international supply chains.
For expert advice or further information on our ocean freight services, or logistics services to and from the USA, please contact your local U-Freight office or visit the ocean freight section of this website.–
