U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Mark Kelly sent a letter to USTR Representative Greer urging the reinstatement of Section 301 port fees targeting Chinese-built and Chinese-operated vessels, following President Trump's recent meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The current fee structure imposes $23 per net ton on arriving vessels effective April 17, 2026, rising to $28 per net ton in 2027. The senators argued these fees are critical to revitalizing U.S. shipbuilding and maritime competitiveness, warning that any relaxation would undermine the strategic objective of countering China's dominance in global shipbuilding. The letter comes amid broader USTR actions including the proposed Section 301 tariff expansion targeting 60 trading partners and Section 232 metal duty modifications.
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