Philippines investigating US authorities barring seafarers from entry
Nearly 100 Filipino crew had been deported from the US by mid-year according to figures from the Philippines government. Marcus Hand, Editor October 23, 2025 National Council of Churches in the Philippines press conferenceCREDIT: SCREENSHOT FROM FACEBOOK VIDEO The Philippines Embassy in the US has sought answers from the US authorities over a growing number of…
China’s $1 Billion of Daily US Exports Show Xi’s Bargaining Power
FILE PHOTO: A drone view shows a cargo ship at Kwai Tsing Container Terminals in Hong Kong, China, April 16, 2025. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY/File Photo Bloomberg October 22, 2025 By Bloomberg News Oct 22, 2025 (Bloomberg) –Six months into Donald Trump’s trade war, the resilience of Chinese exports is proving just how…
Rising US deportations of Filipino crew spark diplomatic intervention
Sam ChambersOctober 23, 2025 US Citizenship and Immigration Services US Citizenship and Immigration Services The Philippines has demanded an explanation from Washington after a rising number of Filipino seafarers were reportedly denied entry to the United States and deported in recent months. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Philippine Embassy in Washington, DC, said…
How geopolitics is redrawing the world’s shipping routes
SplashOctober 23, 2025 Port of Long Beach Port of Long Beach Globalisation isn’t dead, but it’s changing course, writes Neil Shearing, group chief economist at Capital Economics, and author of this year’s bestseller The Fractured Age. Commentators have been quick to declare globalisation dead. But, as is so often the case in economics, the reality…
ACL warns of US$34m cost after falling through USTR rule gap
Published on 23-10-2025 at 07:42 ACL vessel in Hamburg Shutterstock Atlantic Container Line faces a US$34m annual charge after the USTR reclassified its China-built ConRo ships as Ro-Ro vessels. Atlantic Container Line (ACL), a New Jersey-based carrier owned by Italy’s Grimaldi Group, operates a fleet of ConRo vessels between North America and Europe. Under the…
China’s Port Fee Retaliation Lands Lightly on U.S. Carriers
Editorial credit: Sheila Fitzgerald / Shutterstock.com The Loadstar October 21, 2025 By Alison Koo (The Loadstar) – The impact of Chinese port fees on US-owned and operated ships has proved milder than expected. Linerlytica said in its report today that, although Beijing widened the fees to ships owned or operated by companies that are at…
US May Cut India Tariff Rate to 15-16% in Trade Deal, Mint Says
FILE PHOTO: A 3D-printed miniature model of U.S. President Donald Trump, the Indian flag and the word “Tariffs” are seen in this illustration taken July 23, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Bloomberg October 21, 2025 By Nasreen Seria Oct 21, 2025 (Bloomberg) –India and the US are nearing a trade deal that could lower tariffs on Indian…
BIMCO moves to draft clause on new Chinese port fees
Adis AjdinOctober 22, 2025 SIPG SIPG BIMCO has begun work on a new standard clause to address recently announced port fees imposed by China on ships linked to the US. The world’s largest shipping association said the clause will provide legal and commercial clarity following Beijing’s decision to levy “Special Port Fees” on vessels that…
IMO NZF delay - newbuilds will shift back to conventional engines
Analysts Jeffries expect shipowners that have ordered dual-fuel tonnage to downgrade engines from capable to ready Barry Parker, New York Correspondent October 21, 2025 CREDIT: CSSC In the aftermath of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) decision to postpone adoption of its proposed Net Zero Framework, analysts of shipping equities, but also observers of the broader energy…
Russia, China Finalize Deal to Jointly Develop Arctic Shipping Along the Northern Sea Route
China’s Minister of Transport Liu Wei and Russia’s Director of Rosatom Alexey Likhachev after signing the agreement. (Source: Rosatom) Malte Humpert October 20, 2025 Beijing and Moscow have agreed to jointly develop and commercialize shipping along the Northern Sea Route in the Russian Arctic. The deal was signed in the Chinese city of Harbin last…
ICS disappointed over MEPC outcome
21.10.2025 The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has expressed disappointment after the International Maritime Organization’s extraordinary session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC ES) in London failed to reach an agreement on a global Net-Zero Framework for shipping. The proposed framework would have introduced the world’s first carbon pricing mechanism for any industrial…
US, Australia Sign Critical Minerals Agreement, Back Submarine Deal
October 20, 2025 Source: social media U.S. President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese signed a critical minerals agreement aimed at countering China on Monday at a meeting marked by Trump’s jab at Australia’s envoy to the United States over past criticism. China loomed large at the first White House summit between Trump…
BIMCO warns a third of ships may face USTR port fees
BIMCO estimates that 35 per cent of ships calling at US ports could be subject to new port fees under the US Trade Representative’s programme, reported Fort Lauderdale’s Maritime Executive. The fees target Chinese-owned, operated or built vessels, following a Biden administration investigation into unfair practices in China’s maritime sector. The Trump administration’s plan aims…
Opinion: Unpacking The Shipping Global Carbon Tax Delay
FILE PHOTO: Shutterstock/CNRN Editorial October 20, 2025 A fragmented, multipolar approach to decarbonization might actually fit our fragmented, multipolar world better. By James Lightbourn — While there’s plenty of soul-searching underway among supporters of the world’s first proposed carbon tax, its one-year delay could ultimately lead to a more resilient decarbonization framework — and perhaps…
ClarkSea Index surges past $30,000 as port fees ripple through markets
Sam ChambersOctober 20, 2025 Ningbo Zhoushan Port Ningbo Zhoushan Port The disruption brought about by last Tuesday’s start of tit-for-tat extra port fees levied by the US and China has propelled shipping earnings to very high levels. The cross-sector ClarkSea Index, a weighted average of tanker, bulk carrier, containership, and gas carrier earnings managed by…
IMO fracture deepens global climate fault lines in shipping
Sam ChambersOctober 20, 2025 IMO IMO Shipping historians covering the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) would need to go back more than 40 years to a comparable setback to what played out on Friday and the downing of the Net-Zero Framework (NZF). Friday saw member states vote for a one-year delay in the NZF, throwing shipping’s…
Delaying IMO Net Zero Framework adoption – flogging a dead horse?
The member states of the UN body have another year to decide on net zero plans but is adjourning the vote now just delaying framework’s eventual demise? Marcus Hand, Editor October 18, 2025 CREDIT: IMO Delaying the adoption of the IMO’s Net Zero Framework has kept it alive, but the question is what will have…
US-China Reciprocal Port Fees Signal New Era in Trade Tensions
Stock Photo: GuoZhongHua/Shutterstock Paul Morgan October 17, 2025 In a bold escalation of the ongoing U.S.-China trade war, Beijing has implemented retaliatory ‘special port fees’ on American-linked vessels, mirroring Washington’s Section 301 measures that target Chinese shipping. By Paul Morgan (gCaptain) – Announced on October 10, 2025, by China’s Ministry of Transport, these fees took…
Inside Trump’s Pressure Campaign to Derail Global Shipping Emissions Tax
Global Trade And Shipping Industry Depicted Through Cargo Ships And Containers At Sea Bloomberg October 17, 2025 By Jennifer A. Dlouhy, Jack Wittels and Eric Martin(Bloomberg) — Environmentalists eager to curb planet-warming pollution from shipping had grown increasingly confident that countries would adopt the first-ever global tax on emissions this year. But those predicting success failed to…
IMO fails to agree Net-Zero Framework, pushes talks to 2026
Adis AjdinOctober 18, 2025 IMO IMO Negotiations at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) have broken down without agreement on the Net-Zero Framework, leaving the shipping industry facing another year of uncertainty over how its decarbonisation will be regulated. Delegates at the Marine Environment Protection Committee’s extraordinary session in London voted to adjourn discussions for 12…
IMO delays global shipping climate vote after US-led pushback
Published on 17-10-2025 at 18:22 The fuel standard would oblige ships to reduce the carbon intensity of their fuels across the entire supply chain / Illustration Shutterstock The IMO has delayed adopting its Net-Zero Framework for shipping by a year after US-led opposition derailed what was expected to be a landmark climate deal. The International…
Nigerian importers face high costs as US imposes shipping charges
Nigerian importers are expected to pay more for freight and clearing as the United States imposes new charges on Chinese-built vessels, affecting top global shipping lines and raising costs by US$3.2 billion by 2026, report the Lagos Guardian. From now on, the US Trade Representative will charge Chinese carriers US$80 per net tonnage per voyage,…
Singapore big winner in USTR 301 fees fallout
Pacific Basin is to shift half its fleet and senior management from Hong Kong to Singapore as firms scramble to avoid US port fees on Chinese owners. Marcus Hand, Editor October 17, 2025 CREDIT: MARCUS HAND In a quarterly business update Hong Kong-listed Pacific Basin said it had been working with external advisors in relation…
‘Outraged’ Trump Tells Nations to ‘Vote No’ on Shipping’s Carbon Tax at IMO
FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., October 9, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo Mike Schuler October 16, 2025 President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to nations supporting a global carbon tax on shipping, threatening economic retaliation as the International Maritime Organization…
Navigating nation-state trade wars
SplashOctober 17, 2025 The White House The White House Punit Oza on the business sector’s impossible tightrope. “When governments pull the trigger, companies take the bullet,” he writes. In the escalating trade conflict between the United States, China, and their respective allies, a troubling paradox has emerged: nation-states wage economic warfare while the business sector—their…
Splash Wrap: Ports, politics and power
Sam ChambersOctober 17, 2025 US National Park Service US National Park Service Tuesday’s introduction of extra port fees levied by Beijing and Washington, along with this evening’s big vote on the International Maritime Organization Net-Zero Framework, were near constants in terms of headlines in what has been the busiest week of the year for shipping…
USTR fees – just one China-built ship in Port of LA this week
Normally around 20% of the vessels calling the US west coast port are Chinese built or owned. Marcus Hand, Editor October 15, 2025 CREDIT: PORT OF LOS ANGELES As the United States Trade Representative (USTR) fees come into force this week the Port of Los Angeles (Port of LA) has just one Chinese built ship calling…
California Governor Vetoes Port Emissions Bill Over Fiscal Concerns
Shipping containers are unloaded from ships at a container terminal at the Port of Long Beach-Port of Los Angeles complex, , in Los Angeles, California, U.S., April 7, 2021. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson Mike Schuler October 15, 2025 California Governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed Senate Bill 34, legislation that would have imposed new requirements on the South…
US and Saudi lead move to sink IMO’s Net-Zero Framework
Sam ChambersOctober 16, 2025 Ocean Rebellion Ocean Rebellion The United States and Saudi Arabia have launched a coordinated push to stall and potentially derail the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Net-Zero Framework (NZF), a landmark climate measure that aims to introduce a global carbon price for shipping. On the second day of this week’s extraordinary Marine…
US ports push for reversal of 100% crane tariff
Published on 16-10-2025 at 08:20 Port Houston gets new STS cranes Port Houston US ports are calling on the Trump Administration to roll back steep tariffs on Chinese-built cranes, saying the move risks crippling supply chain upgrades. The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) has urged the Trump Administration to reverse newly announced tariffs on…
California Governor rejects bill banning funding for automated equipment
Published on 15-10-2025 at 21:03 Long Beach Container Terminal (LBCT) has secured over US$100m in grants for cargo handling equipment and infrastructure over several years. Shutterstock Gavin Newsome has refused to sign a bill that would limit the ability of the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) to impose limits on port operations and…
Maersk diverts two US-flagged vessels from China
To avoid China’s new “Special Port Fee” the US-registered container ships will discharge Ningbo bound cargo in South Korea Marcus Hand, Editor October 15, 2025 CREDIT: MAERSK Two container ships operated by Maersk on a transpacific service will no longer call Ningbo as Chinese port fees for US-flagged ships come into force. A Maersk customer…
IMO’s green dream meets America’s red line
Sam ChambersOctober 15, 2025 While the majority of opening statements at yesterday’s opening of the latest Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) were broadly in favour of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Net-Zero Framework (NZF), the US delegation stood out once again for its outspoken opposition to the proposed green legislation. The American delegation, which made…
Panamax boxship hit with $1.7m Shanghai fee as China’s new port levies bite
Sam ChambersOctober 15, 2025 SIPG SIPG $1.7m. That’s the fee – or RMB12.1m – that the German owners of the US-flagged Matson Waikiki are being forced to pay to allow the vessel to dock in Shanghai, a sizeable sum, and an indication of the chaos, and costs, that are arising from yesterday’s introduction of hiked…
US to enforce 100% tariff on STS cranes from November 9
Published on 14-10-2025 at 17:41 ZPMC vessel with three STS cranes for Port Houston. Photo: ZPMC The United States is set to impose 100% tariffs on Chinese-made STS cranes and intermodal chassis from November 9; proposes additional duties of up to 150% on yard gantry cranes and mobile equipment. The United States is moving forward…
Beijing places sanctions on Hanwha Ocean’s American assets
Sam ChambersOctober 14, 2025 Hanwha Hanwha China has sanctioned five American subsidiaries of Hanwha Ocean, the South Korean shipbuilder formerly known as Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, claiming the company was involved in the US probe into the Chinese shipping industry. The sanctioned subsidiaries include Hanwha Shipping LLC, Hanwha Philly Shipyard, Hanwha Ocean USA International…
IMO’s Net-Zero Framework sails into political storm
Sam ChambersOctober 14, 2025 Carlos Jasso Carlos Jasso This week’s extraordinary Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) session – running from today through to Friday – will see International Maritime Organization (IMO) member states debate a monumental consolidation: a draft of the entire MARPOL Annex VI (Air Pollution by Ships), including the controversial Net-Zero Framework (NZF).…
Maritime Fees Spiral Deepens as US, China Trade Blows
October 14, 2025 © Wolfgang Jargstorff / Adobe Stock The United States and China on Tuesday began charging additional port fees on ocean shipping firms that move everything from holiday toys to crude oil, making the high seas a key front in the trade war between the world’s two largest economies. China said it had…
US warns of retaliation against nations supporting IMO carbon tax
Published on 14-10-2025 at 11:00 IMO HQ Washington threatens retaliatory measures against countries backing proposed global carbon levy ahead of IMO vote this week. The United States announced it will reject any international environmental agreement that imposes “undue” or “unfair costs” on American citizens, energy providers, shipping companies, and tourists, ahead of a vote due…
Trump threatens 100% tariffs on Chinese goods (again)
Published on 13-10-2025 at 10:25 US President Donald Trump speaks at a White House press briefing January 2025 Shutterstock Trump’s renewed threat of 100% tariffs on China intensifies already-strained trade relations between the world’s two largest economies. US President Donald Trump announced on Friday, October 10, that the United States plans to impose a 100%…
Cosco faces US$1.53 billion hit from new US port fees
Container analysts at Alphaliner estimate that global carriers could face US$3.2 billion in fees next year under new US Trade Representative (USTR) rules targeting China-linked tonnage. COSCO and its Hong Kong subsidiary OOCL are projected to bear nearly half the cost, reported Singapore’s Splash 24/7. Starting October 14, vessels owned or operated by Chinese entities…
US Threatens Visa Restrictions, Sanctions Against UN Members That Back IMO Emissions Plan
MartinLueke / Shutterstock.com Reuters October 11, 2025 Oct 10 (Reuters) – The United States on Friday threatened to use visa restrictions and sanctions to retaliate against nations that vote in favor of a plan put forward by a United Nations agency to reduce planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions from ocean shipping. U.N. member nations are scheduled to vote next…
USTR and China Yet to Discuss New Export Controls by Phone
October 12, 2025 © tawatchai1990 / Adobe Stock Trade Representative Jamison Greer said on Sunday that the U.S. reached out to China for a phone call following an announcement that it was expanding its rare earths export controls but Beijing deferred, while China accused the U.S. of what it called “double standards.” “I can tell…
China announces “special port fees” on US-linked vessels
Published on 13-10-2025 at 02:51 Container ships berthed at the Port of Oakland, California Shutterstock China has retaliated against the US Administration’s fees on Chinese vessels with its own “special port fees” on ships owned or operated by US companies. China’s Ministry of Transport (MoT) has announced a retaliatory fee on US owned or operated…
US-listed owners to bear brunt of China port fee retaliation
A VLCC owned by a US company set to be charged over $6 million per Chinese port call in USTR retaliation Marcus Hand, Editor October 11, 2025 CREDIT: PIXABAY China’s Ministry of Transport (MOT) has unveiled its response to the USTR’s fees for Chinese owned, operated and built vessels that comes into force from 14…
China issues maritime countermeasures ahead of US port fees
China has revised its international maritime transport regulations to allow countermeasures against countries imposing restrictions on Chinese shipping. The move comes ahead of a new US port fee policy targeting Chinese vessels, reports Ventura, California’s gCaptain. The decree, signed by Premier Li Qiang states that China will respond to discriminatory bans or restrictions unless treaties…
Freight to Dodge Worst of US Port Fees Thanks to Workarounds
Photo courtesy Port Los Angeles Bloomberg October 9, 2025 By Weilun Soon (Bloomberg) — Freight rates are likely to see limited impact when the US starts charging Chinese vessels for calling at its ports next week, as shipping firms find several ways to circumvent the punitive measures, including reshuffling their fleets. Some 35% of vessels…
Cyprus’ EU Presidency to put shipping centre stage
The nation will take over the Presidency of the European Council in January for six months Nick Savvides, Europe correspondent October 8, 2025 CREDIT: GIAGKOU SPIROS VIA CYPRUS GOVERNMENT European maritime development is being promised a major boost with the assumption of Cyprus of the Presidency of the European Council in January that will focus…
USTR fees could impact 35% of key sectors’ ships: BIMCO
Sam ChambersOctober 8, 2025 When fees from the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) targeting Chinese dominance of the maritime sector come into effect next week on October 14, 35% of ships in the combined bulk, crude tanker, product tanker and container fleet could be subject to additional fees when calling a US…
Determining Trump's China-Linked Port Fees is Shipowners’ Responsibility
October 7, 2025 © Lichtwolke99 / Adobe Stock The U.S. is one week away from imposing port fees on certain vessels with links to China, a move expected to cost the top 10 carriers $3.2 billion next year as President Donald Trump seeks to address China’s growing dominance on the high seas. “While some observers…
CBP Shifts Compliance Burden to Operators as USTR Port Fees on Chinese Ships Loom
CBP Shifts Compliance Burden to Operators as USTR Port Fees on Chinese Ships Loom Mike Schuler U.S. Customs and Border Protection has provided long-awaited details related to payments for the new vessel fees targeting Chinese maritime interests that take effect October 14. The fees, mandated under the Section 301 investigation of “China’s Targeting the Maritime, Logistics, and…
China’s September LNG Imports Seen Declining for Eleventh Month
China’s September LNG Imports Seen Declining for Eleventh Month Bloomberg Total Views: 0 September 28, 2025 Share this article By Sing Yee Ong Sep 28, 2025 (Bloomberg) –China’s imports of liquefied natural gas in September are poised to drop more than a fifth from a year ago, extending a slump in purchases as domestic supplies and…
US tariffs to lower Panama Canal traffic in '26
US tariffs to lower Panama Canal traffic in ’26 September 25, 2025 Daily vessel transits through the Panama Canal will remain below full capacity next year due to tariff-driven frontloading of US imports and weaker demand on the East and Gulf coasts, reports New York’s Journal of Commerce. The canal can handle 36 daily transits,…
Confusion surrounds USTR port fees implementation
Additional fees for Chinese owned/operated and China-built vessels calling at US ports come into force on 14 October but confusion reigns over implementation. Marcus Hand, Editor September 25, 2025 CREDIT: CMA CGM “What is happening with USTR is as clear as mud,” was the comment of one speaker at the Marine Money Asia conference in…
Shipping Industry Faces Volatility from Tariffs and Geopolitical Conflicts
September 24, 2025 © Adobe Stock/moofushi The shipping industry is experiencing major volatility amid rising geopolitical tensions and disruptions caused by a wave of new tariffs, according to a report published on Wednesday by the U.N. Trade and Development agency. Due to an increasingly complex and uncertain global trade environment, subdued industrial activity in major…
China Shakes Off US Tariff Threat
September 23, 2025 Source:MSI New analysis by Maritime Strategies International cites emerging evidence that the demand side of the industry will prove better-insulated from tariffs than was expected earlier in the year, while a dynamic where Chinese exporters continue to export their manufactured goods surplus – above all to emerging economies – has significantly buoyed…
MSC reshuffles fleet to absorb US port fees
Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC) has restructured its global vessel network to comply with upcoming US port fees targeting Chinese-built or operated ships, aiming to shield customers from the added costs, reports New York’s Journal of Commerce. MSC chief executive Soren Toft said the internal changes ensure compliance with US trade regulations while preserving service reliability.…
Trump Puts 15,000 Offshore Wind Jobs at Risk With Halt Orders
The first offshore wind turbine is installed at the South Fork Wind project offshore New York. Photo courtesy New York State Bloomberg September 22, 2025 By Georgia Hall and Greg Ryan (Bloomberg) — Cesar Lima never gave much thought to the politics of offshore wind. Most days, the ironworker focused on his shift 15 miles out…
Federal Court Reverses Trump’s Stop-Work Order on Revolution Wind
Wind turbines at Orsted’s Block Island wind farm off Rhode Island, one of two commercial offshore wind farms in the United States. Credit: PennyJack Creative/Shutterstock Reuters September 22, 2025 By Jan Wolfe Sept 22 (Reuters) – A federal judge on Monday granted a request by Danish offshore wind developer Orsted to restart work on the nearly finished Revolution Wind project,…
Maduro Writes Directly To Trump Calling For Venezuela-US Talks
Navy guided missile destroyer USS Stockdale DDG-106 docks at the Frigate Captain Noel Antonio Rodriguez Justavino Naval Base near the entrance to the Panama Canal, in Panama City, Panama, September 21, 2025. REUTERS/Enea Lebrun Bloomberg September 21, 2025 By Bloomberg News Sep 21, 2025 (Bloomberg) —Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro wrote directly to Donald Trump this month…
HD Hyundai eyes US yard in bid to cash in on Trump’s shipbuilding revival
Sam ChambersSeptember 19, 2025 South Korea’s HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has confirmed it is in talks with multiple firms to buy a US shipyard, a move aimed at tapping into Washington’s resurgent naval build-up under president Donald Trump. A senior HD Hyundai executive told Reuters in Ulsan that the Korean conglomerate has set a target…
Coast Guard Extends Sea Service Recency Period, Opening Doors for Returning Mariners
A Military Sealift Command civil service mariner assigned to the Emory S Land-class submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS 40), heaves line as Frank Cable departs Singapore July 2, 2022. U.S> Navy Photo Mike Schuler September 18, 2025 The U.S. Coast Guard’s Office of Merchant Mariner Credentialing has published a policy letter that significantly extends…
Legal Battle Intensifies as States Fight to Revive Halted Revolution Wind Project
Wind turbines at Orsted’s Block Island wind farm off Rhode Island, one of two commercial offshore wind farms in the United States. Credit: PennyJack Creative/Shutterstock Mike Schuler September 18, 2025 Connecticut and Rhode Island attorneys general have escalated their legal fight against the Trump administration’s abrupt halt to the Revolution Wind offshore energy project, filing…
Transpacific starting to see decline in deployment of Chinese-built ships
Published on 18-09-2025 at 14:44 Cosco Shipping container ship Shipping lines are scaling back Chinese-built vessels on Trans-Pacific routes ahead of new US port fees, highlighting the growing cost pressures from the latest US trade policies. Shipping lines are showing early signs of reducing the deployment of Chinese-built vessels on Transpacific trades ahead of new…
China's Hold on Global Ports focus of Trump Administration
By Jonathan Saul September 16, 2025 Copyright Moofushi/AdobeStock U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration is on a mission to weaken China’s global network of ports and bring more strategic terminals under Western control, according to three sources familiar with the plan. The drive is part of the most ambitious effort to expand U.S. maritime influence since…
China imposes duties of up to 62pc on EU pork
China has introduced temporary anti-dumping duties on pork imports from the European Union, with rates reaching as high as 62.4 per cent. The move is widely viewed as a response to the EU’s tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, reports London’s Financial Times. The commerce ministry in Beijing said its year-long investigation found preliminary evidence that…
US sets lower 15pc tariff on Japanese autos, goods
President Donald Trump has signed an executive order implementing the July US?apan trade agreement, lowering tariffs on Japanese automobiles and parts to 15 per cent and capping most other imports at the same rate, reported Saint Petersburg’s PortNews. The 15 per cent auto tariff will take effect following a Federal Register notice due within seven…
China levies 78pc tariffs on US fibre optics
China will impose anti-dumping duties of up to 78.2 per cent on US-made fibre optic products, escalating trade tensions. China’s Ministry of Commerce said it will levy tariffs of up to 78.2 per cent on certain US fibre optic imports starting September 4, targeting G.654.C fibre used in long-haul and undersea networks, reported Caixin. Corning…
New IAPH / WCO guidelines
12.09.2025 The International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) and the World Customs organization (WCO) have released revised guidelines on cooperation between customs and port authorities. First launched in 2023, the new edition adds input from the World Shipping Council and focuses on closer public-private collaboration. The release coincided with a WCO conference…
Adani turns away sanctioned tankers from its ports in India
Sam ChambersSeptember 12, 2025 Adani Adani India’s largest private port operator, Adani Group, has banned entry of tankers that are sanctioned by the US, UK or the European Union, according to multiple local media outlets. Adani’s port footprint in India is more focused on containers and dry bulk than tankers with analysts suggesting the news…
Mexico pushes 50% tariff on China-built cars
Adis AjdinSeptember 12, 2025 BYD BYD Mexico is preparing to more than double tariffs on cars from China and several other Asian countries, with duties rising from 20% to 50% under a proposal sent to Congress by President Claudia Sheinbaum. The draft bill, expected to pass given the government’s majority, would take effect 30 days…
CMA CGM rules out surcharge ahead of US fees on Chinese tonnage
Sam ChambersSeptember 11, 2025 Port of Los Angeles Port of Los Angeles France’s CMA CGM, the world’s third-largest containerline, has told clients it is fully prepared for next month’s hiked port fees in the US for Chinese-linked tonnage, and that it does not envisage implementing surcharges because of the new ruling. In April, the US…
US State Department Expresses Concern Over Ban of Israeli Shipments in Spanish Ports, Airspace
September 10, 2025 © Adobe Stock/Vitaly A U.S. State Department spokesperson expressed concern on Wednesday over Spain’s measures limiting access to Spanish ports and airspace to ships and planes carrying weapons for Israel. “It is deeply concerning that Spain, a NATO member, has chosen to potentially limit U.S. operations and to turn its back on…
Spain bans ships linked to Israeli military as dockworkers vow to support Global Sumud Flotilla
Published on 10-09-2025 at 09:09 Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, La Moncloa/Spanish Government Shipping under growing strain as Spain bans ships carrying fuel for the Israeli military and Italian dockworkers pledge Europe-wide port action if Gaza aid flotilla is blocked. The Spanish government has announced a ban on all ships carrying fuel intended for the…
China carriers adjust tactics ahead of US port fees
Chinese shipping firms are reshaping fleet deployments and leaning on global alliances to reduce exposure to US ports, as Washington prepares to impose steep new fees on Chinese-linked vessels in October, reported Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post. The levies, aimed at curbing China’s dominance in global shipbuilding, are prompting carriers such as Cosco Shipping…
EU mulls 10-year tax holiday for jet, shipping fuels
European Union countries are weighing a decade-long delay to taxing aviation and shipping fuels under a draft proposal aimed at advancing stalled energy tax reforms, reports Reuters. The European Commission first proposed the overhaul in 2021 to align fuel taxation with climate goals. The plan included introducing levies on CO2-emitting fuels used in flights and…
HSBC warns COSCO and OOCL face $2.1bn hit from looming US port fees
Sam ChambersSeptember 8, 2025 Cosco Cosco The looming US port fee regime aimed squarely at Chinese-linked tonnage could saddle COSCO and its Hong Kong-listed subsidiary OOCL with a combined bill of more than $2.1bn in 2026, according to fresh calculations from HSBC. The US Trade Representative (USTR) is due to impose port fees from October…
Trump’s LNG shipbuilding strategy no more than ‘a dream’
Experts insist there is absolutely no chance of having a US-built LNG carrier on the water by 2030, only US-branded. Paul Bartlett, Correspondent September 5, 2025 IMAGE: THE WHITE HOUSE The US Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a mandate requiring 1% of the country’s LNG to be exported in US-built LNG carriers from 2029, increasing to…
US visa crackdown creates turmoil for Sam ChambersSeptember 5, 2025
US Citizenship and Immigration Services US Citizenship and Immigration Services Shipmanagers are warning of mounting operational chaos as fresh US visa restrictions begin to bite, Splash has learned. Multiple sources at leading shipmanagement companies confirm growing problems with obtaining valid US visas for crewmembers. The issues stem from a raft of executive orders signed by…
Panamanian President Meets with Japanese Shipowners to Share New Ship Registry Strategy
September 5, 2025 © Panama Maritime Authority President José Raúl Mulino met with more than 40 representatives of shipping companies from Japan’s Kanto region, where he presented Panama’s new ship registry strategy aimed at safeguarding its global leadership through enhanced safety standards and fully digitalized processes. Mulino emphasized that Panama’s registry is positioning itself as…
IMO member states tire of US threats over climate rules
Member states are becoming weary of US threats as State Department seeks to derail next month’s IMO’s decarbonisation vote. Nick Savvides, Europe correspondent September 4, 2025 IMAGE: IMO African member states are said to be tiring of US machinations, including the tariff wars and cutting of USAID, as Washington seeks to reverse the IMO’s moves to…
Trump Administration Nominates New Federal Maritime Commissioners Amid Leadership Transition
FILE PHOTO: An American flag flutters over a ship and shipping containers at the Port of Los Angeles, in San Pedro California, U.S., May 13, 2025. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo Mike Schuler September 4, 2025 The White House has nominated Laura DiBella of Florida and Robert Harvey of Florida to serve as Federal Maritime Commissioners, according…
US threatens tariffs and port levies to sink IMO green deal
Sam ChambersSeptember 4, 2025 Official Twitter account for the Trump campaign on X.com Official Twitter account for the Trump campaign on X.com The United States is leaning hard on allies and rivals alike to reject a landmark United Nations agreement to slash emissions from marine fuels, Reuters reports. Washington has warned that nations pressing ahead…
US tightens trade fraud rules
The creation of a Trade Fraud Task Force to prosecute tariff evasion through transhipment is expected to further restrict US imports from Asia. Nick Savvides, Europe correspondent September 3, 2025 IMAGE: THE WHITE HOUSE A $12.4m settlement under the False Claims Act in mid-August, the result of a Texas-based company and its president allegedly evading…
U.S. Threatens Nations with Tariffs Over Support for IMO Net-Zero Shipping Deal
Photo: Shutterstock/CNRN Reuters September 3, 2025 LONDON, Sept 3 (Reuters) – The United States has told countries to reject a United Nations’ marine fuel emissions-cutting deal or face tariffs, visa restrictions and port levies, U.S. and European officials and sources told Reuters. The Trump administration is looking to boost U.S. economic might, including by taking…
EU weighs decade-long exemption for shipping fuels
Published on 02-09-2025 at 14:56 EU flags Shutterstock The exemption is designed “to maintain the competitive position of Union companies,” according to a draft proposal. European Union governments are considering giving shipping and aviation a free pass on EU-wide fuel taxes until 2035, Reuters reported, citing a draft document. The proposal, drawn up by Denmark,…
EU shipping faces ETS bill of US$2.9 billion
Europe’s shipping industry will receive its first invoice under the EU Emissions Trading System on September 30, with operators required to cover 40 per cent of 2024 emissions, reports the Cyprus Mail. Drewry data shows 13,000 ships emitted 90 million tonnes of CO2 last year, up 14 per cent on 2023 due to Red Sea…
Trump Administration Redirects $679 Million from Offshore Wind Projects to Maritime Infrastructure
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy a speaks during a press conference at the U.S. Department of Transportation in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 26, 2025. REUTERS/Brian Snyder Mike Schuler August 29, 2025 U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy has announced the withdrawal or termination of $679 million in funding previously allocated to 12 offshore wind projects…
Cosco Shipping Warns Ongoing Geopolitcal Risks Clouds Outlook
Photo: Sheila Fitzgerald / Shutterstock.com Bloomberg August 28, 2025 By Rachel Yeo (Bloomberg) — Cosco Shipping Holdings Co. managed to increase profit in a volatile environment for freight rates and said uncertainty about tariff policies will continue to pose challenges for the industry. First-half net income for China’s largest containership operator rose 3.9% to 17.54 billion yuan…
India charts $1trn maritime investment roadmap
Adis AjdinAugust 28, 2025 Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways India has unveiled a $1trn investment plan to drive growth across ports, shipping and logistics, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said at an ambassadors’ conclave in Delhi on Wednesday. The roundtable, attended by representatives from…
Doubling of US Tariffs on India Begins Wednesday
August 27, 2025 © Adobe Stock/mbruxelle U.S. President Donald Trump’s doubling of tariffs on imports from India to as much as 50% took effect as scheduled on Wednesday, dealing a serious blow to ties between the two countries that became strategic partners after the turn of this century. A punitive 25% tariff imposed due to India‘s purchases of Russian oil adds…
South Africa tightens offshore ship-to-ship rules
Sam ChambersAugust 26, 2025 Table Mountain Aerial Gateway Table Mountain Aerial Gateway South Africa has introduced a new regulatory framework for offshore ship-to-ship (STS) transfers, sharply increasing penalties and setting strict environmental conditions in a bid to protect coastal ecosystems and the endangered African penguin. Under regulations signed by minister of forestry, fisheries and the…
Carriers reroute fleets to sidestep US levy
Sam ChambersAugust 26, 2025 ONE ONE Global shipping is realigning fleets in anticipation of October’s extra port fees to be levied by the US on China-linked tonnage. This is already being reflected in chartering decisions for transatlantic tanker and dry bulk fixtures with Chinese-built tonnage shifting to other parts of the globe. In the container…
Seoul bets on shipbuilding to keep Trump sweet
Sam ChambersAugust 26, 2025 Whitehouse.org Whitehouse.org South Korea is making shipbuilding the anchor of its trade diplomacy with Washington, rolling out billions in promises to revive America’s rusted yards in a bid to keep Donald Trump on side. President Lee Jae Myung’s first US trip saw him push a $350bn investment package, with $150bn earmarked…
ZIM reroutes vessels after Turkey bans Israel-linked ships from ports
Published on 26-08-2025 at 07:47 Shutterstock ZIM warns Turkish ban on Israeli ships will hit earnings as it reroutes vessels and seeks to limit impact. Israeli shipping line ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd (ZIM) has rerouted vessels originally scheduled to call at Turkish ports after the country introduced a new regulation barring ships owned, managed…
Turkish ports seek guarantees ships not connected to Israel
Published on 25-08-2025 at 08:37 Shutterstock Turkish ports clamp down on foreign vessels linked to Israel. Turkish port authorities have started asking shipping agents to provide letters confirming that vessels have no connections to Israel and are not carrying military or hazardous cargo destined for the country, Reuters reports, citing sources familiar with the matter.…
New Zealand drops Low Emission Transport Fund
Published on 25-08-2025 at 07:07 A battery electric empty container handler arrives at Port of Auckland Port of Auckland The Energy Efficiency & Conservation Authority (EECA) has ended the Government’s Low Emission Transport Fund (LETF); ports have benefited from two of the final three funding rounds. Dating back to 2016, the LETF and its predecessor…
South Africa allows private operators access to rail freight network
Published on 25-08-2025 at 08:48 The new operators will be allocated slots across 41 routes and six key corridors / Illustration Shutterstock South Africa opens freight rail network to private companies as state-owned Transnet struggles with falling volumes. South Africa will allow private companies to operate trains on its freight rail network, the government confirmed…