Lower thirds:

00:02 Report by Wolfgang Bernert
00:48 Martin Kröger | CEO, German Shipowners’ Association

Script:

The Port of Long Beach. The U.S. charges a fee every time a Chinese-built ship docks at any US-harbour:  

$50 per net ton if it’s owned by a Chinese company. 
$18 if it’s owned by a non-Chinese company.

The fee will increase each year for the next three years.

It’s a first-of-its-kind measure meant to counter China’s shipbuilding dominance and protect American shipyards.  

++ Graphics ++ 
This dominance is real. Data from the UN shows that China delivered 54.6% of all new ship capacity in 2024. The next biggest producer is South Korea.  (Source: UN Trade and Development)

This means a huge portion of the world fleet could be affected by the U.S. fee.

++Martin Kröger – CEO - German Shipowners’ Association ++
“Well, it’s an absolute first to see a country introduce docking fees on Chinese-built ships... We expect a heavy impact on the shipping market. The first thing you’ll see is ships built in China going out of trade from the United States.” 

In other words, carriers will reroute vessels to avoid U.S. ports. There are plenty of other trade lanes for those ships, but the disruption will be significant.  The shipping data provider Alphaliner warned in September that the U.S. port fees could cost up to $3.2 billion next year for the world's top 10 carriers. 

Meanwhile, China has announced retaliatory measures. . Vessels owned or operated by American companies or individuals, and ships built in the U.S. or flying the American flag, would be subjected to a $56 per net ton fee per voyage if they dock in China