In the past few hours, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), the representative of the Executive Office of the US President Donald Trump to whom the latter in the days had assigned the task of defining the measures to counter competition from China in the shipbuilding ( of 10 April 2025), announced the strategy to be adopted, divided into in two phases. In the first, activated yesterday and lasting 180 days, no tax will be imposed on ships operated by Chinese entities or owned by entities Chinese who call at a US port, while in the The second phase, in force from 14 October, will be A tax of $50 per net ton applied of the naval unit, which will be increased over three years and will rise to $80 from April 17 2026, to $110 from April 17, 2027 and to $140 from April 17 2028. This fee will be charged up to five times per year for each ship.

The second phase involves the application of a less onerous tax by Chinese-built vessels operated by entities non-Chinese, which is zero for the first 180 days and will be of $18 per net ton of incoming ship departing from next October 14 to rise to $23 from April 17, 2026, to $28 from April 17, 2027 and to $33 per net tonne from 17 April 2028. For container ships, after the period of 180 days in which no charge will be made, the fee will be $120 for each container unloaded at starting from next April 14 and will rise respectively to $153, $195 and $250 per container from April 17, 2026, 2027 and 2028. Also in this case the fee will be charged up to five times a year for each ship.

In addition, for car carriers built in any country arriving at a U.S. port, after a period of exemption from the 180-day tax, a tax of $150 per car equivalent unit. However, an operator will be able to benefit from a fee waiver for a maximum period of three years years if he orders and takes delivery of a ship built in the United States Units of equivalent or greater capacity within that period of time.

Finally, from 17 April 2028 to 16 April 2029, gas vessels liquefied natural waste will be required to transport 1% of U.S. LNG exports on ships operated by entities and U.S. flagships, and this share shall be be carried from 17 April 2029 to 16 April 2031 by non- only operated by US and flag entities but also built in the USA. This fee will go up 2% of LNG exports from 17 April 2031 to 16 April 2032, 3% from 17 April 2032 to 16 April 2034, at 4% from 17 April 2034 to 16 April 2036 and then rise every two years to 6%, 7%, 9%, to 11% to reach 13% from 17 April 2045 to 16 April 2047 and set at 15% as of 17 April 2047. An exemption from the maximum duration of three years may be applied if The owner orders and takes delivery of a construction vessel of equal or greater capacity.