USTR Section 301 Chinese Ship Fees Still Expire November 9 Despite Truce Extension

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a trade truce extension with China to January 10, 2027, but the suspension of Section 301 port fees on Chinese-built and Chinese-operated ships legally expires November 9, 2026. Without a new USTR Federal Register notice, fees of $50 per net ton could resume.

• Truce extended to January 10, 2027, but no USTR Federal Register notice published
• Section 301 fee suspension expires November 9, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET
• Base fee is $50 per net ton; a 50,000-ton ship faces ~$2.5 million per voyage
• COSCO exposure estimated at up to $1.5 billion annually; top-10 carriers at $3.2 billion