US Maritime Action Plan Clouds Port Fee Outlook
The White House released its long-awaited Maritime Action Plan (MAP) on Friday, a 36-page blueprint aimed at restoring what President Trump has called “America’s maritime dominance.”
The document follows an executive order issued last April and outlines measures spanning shipyard incentives, maritime workforce education and deregulatory reforms.
The most consequential element for ocean freight is the reemergence of a proposed US port fee targeting foreign-built vessels. The MAP calls for a new security fee on such ships calling at US ports, arguing that “as foreign-built vessels benefit from US market access, this policy ensures they contribute to the long-term revitalisation of America’s maritime capabilities.”
Under the proposal, the fee would be assessed based on the weight of imported cargo arriving on a vessel. The document provides scenarios, estimating that a charge of one cent per kilogram could generate roughly $66 billion over 10 years, while a 25-cent levy could raise nearly $1.5 trillion over the same period.
The proposal doesn’t seem to consider the US Trade Representative’s (USTR) current port fee introduced in October 2025, which remains suspended until November 2026. That measure, targeting non-US-built ships, was paused during November’s US-China trade negotiations after China imposed reciprocal charges.
Currently, there is no indication as to whether the USTR charges will or will not be reintroduced.
While the MAP proposes a port fee structure, it is by no means forms legislation – leaving industry stakeholders with more questions than answers about the future costs of US shipping.
