CHINA

China Revises Maritime Law, Paving Way for Retaliation Against U.S. Fee Hikes

Published: Sep. 30, 2025 4:49 a.m. GMT+8

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Container ships at the Yangshan Deepwater Port in Shanghai on May 14, 2025. Photo: Bloomberg

China has overhauled its international shipping regulations, giving Beijing new powers to hit back at discriminatory foreign tariffs and restrictions, in a move widely viewed as a response to looming U.S. levies on Chinese shipowners.

The State Council, China’s cabinet, announced the changes on Sunday after Premier Li Qiang signed an executive order. The amendments to the Regulations on International Maritime Transport took immediate effect.

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China revised shipping regulations, enabling retaliation against foreign tariffs, especially in response to new US port fees targeting Chinese-built ships and owners.
New rules allow Beijing to impose penalties like special port charges and bans, and tighten oversight of digital shipping platforms with fines up to 100,000 yuan.
US fees begin at $18/ton for foreign carriers and $50/ton for Chinese owners, potentially costing Cosco $1.5 billion in 2026, affecting over 5% of its revenue.

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Who’s Who

Cosco Shipping Holdings Co. Ltd.: Cosco Shipping Holdings Co. Ltd. (中远海运控股股份有限公司) is a state-owned Chinese shipping giant. It is expected to be severely impacted by new US port fees on Chinese carriers, potentially facing $1.5 billion in fees by 2026. Despite this, Cosco has committed not to abandon US routes or pass costs to customers, even deploying new Chinese-made vessels on these lanes.

Matson Inc.: Matson Inc. is an American shipping company, ranking 29th globally with 29 vessels and 71,221 TEU capacity. Their strength lies in express services for cross-border e-commerce on the China-U.S. route. In the first half of 2025, Matson reported $1.61 billion in revenue and $300 million in EBITDA, marking increases of 2.7% and 16% respectively from the previous year.

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What Happened When

2003：: Sino-U.S. maritime accord referenced as being potentially violated by new U.S. rules.

First half of 2024：: Reference period for Matson Inc.'s revenue and EBITDA comparison.

First half of 2025：: Matson Inc. reported $1.61 billion in revenue and $300 million in EBITDA for the first half of the year.

April 2025：: The U.S. unveiled plans to impose steep port fees on Chinese carriers and foreign shipowners using Chinese-built vessels.

September 28, 2025：: China's State Council announced amendments to the Regulations on International Maritime Transport, which took immediate effect.

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