Posted on October 1, 2025
Beijing’s countermeasures seen as further complicating shipping routes connecting US and China, but the number of affected vessels could be small
As a new US port fee targeting China-built or -operated vessels is set to take effect in two weeks, China has revised its international maritime transport rules to allow retaliatory measures, including charging special fees or restricting access to Chinese ports.
China will implement necessary countermeasures against any country or region that imposes or supports discriminatory bans, restrictions or similar measures targeting Chinese operators, vessels or crews, according to the revision released on Monday.
“These countermeasures include, but are not limited to, charging special fees on their vessels when calling at Chinese ports, prohibiting or restricting these vessels’ port access in China, and barring or restricting their organisations or individuals from accessing China-related maritime data or operating in international shipping and related services to and from Chinese ports,” the revision said.
It was approved by Premier Li Qiang and took effect immediately.
The move could be regarded as a response to the Office of the US Trade Representative’s Section 301 investigation into China’s maritime sector and would further complicate shipping routes connecting the two countries, Guotai Junan Futures said in a note on Tuesday. Section 301 investigations aim to determine whether a foreign government’s policies or acts are discriminatory, and whether they burden or restrict US commerce.
The transpacific shipping route has seen considerable volatility this year, driven by tit-for-tat tariff measures between the world’s two largest economies. Carriers are also adjusting vessel deployments on the route to avoid or minimise exposure to the coming US port fees.
Chinese retaliation proposed in the revision could target US vessels, including those under US flags or owned by US companies, mainly involving the Matson shipping company, Haitong Futures shipping analyst Lei Yue said on Tuesday.
The devil lies in the details
Jayendu Krishna, Drewry Maritime Services
Headquartered in Hawaii, Matson has been providing shipping services across the Pacific, including routes from China to Southern California, according to its website.
The company ranks No 29 among the world’s container carriers, with 0.2 per cent of the world’s total box capacity, according to Alphaliner, a liner-shipping-data platform.
The impact of China’s retaliation could be limited due to the small number of affected vessels, Lei added, noting the significant gap in shipping market share between the two countries.
However, if an all-encompassing definition is applied – such as ownership deemed to be held by an American company through financing, listing on US exchanges, or chartering by US entities – there could be a significant impact, Jayendu Krishna, a director at Drewry Maritime Services, said on Tuesday.
“Several American private equity [firms], banks and alternative finance companies have significant interests in the ships,” he said. “It will be hard to fathom the impact without knowing the exact definition of what is under purview.
“The devil lies in the details.”
Although the revision did not specify how to determine a vessel’s nationality or origin – such as by ownership or flag – the US accounts for only a minor share of shipping capacity under either criterion.
Among the top 10 container carriers, except for Israel’s Zim, the other nine are based in Asia or Europe, with no US companies included.
State-owned Chinese shipping giant Cosco holds the third-largest share of global container capacity, with 10.6 per cent.
The US-flagged fleet, including the merchant fleet, accounts for 0.6 per cent of global deadweight tonnes, while vessels flagged in mainland China and Hong Kong combined accounted for 13.9 per cent, according to the UN’s 2025 Review of Maritime Transport, issued last week.
