The new U.S. tariffs on Chinese ships aim to curb China’s industrial leadership, but experts warn they will only raise consumer prices and worsen the global trade crisis.

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Washington Escalates Its Trade War Against China With New Tariffs on the Shipbuilding Industry

The U.S. government, under President Donald Trump, has announced the imposition of port tariffs on Chinese ships starting in October 2025. The measure, presented as an attempt to “revitalize” the American shipbuilding industry, has been denounced as protectionist by analysts and governments aligned with China, who warn about its impact on global prices and trade stability.

The tariffs, confirmed by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), set a fee of $50 per net ton for Chinese ships, with annual increases of $30 over three years. There will also be a $18 per ton or $120 per container fee for ships built in China (even if not operated by Chinese companies), and $150 per vehicle transported on non-U.S. ships. Experts agree these costs will be passed on to the prices of basic goods in the U.S., especially affecting workers and lower-income sectors.

FM Wang Yi: The current turbulent and chaotic international situation is largely caused by certain major power clinging to the belief in the supremacy of strength, prioritizing self-interest, and engaging in unilateral bullying. Recently, the US has been wantonly imposing… pic.twitter.com/PdRXpqjCcM

— Lin Jian 林剑 (@SpoxCHN_LinJian) April 11, 2025

China Responds: “Desperate Measures That Won’t Solve the U.S. Industrial Crisis”

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated that the tariffs “will not revitalize the U.S. shipbuilding industry, but will raise prices for American consumers.” While China leads global shipbuilding and the U.S. accounts for just 0.1% of global ship production, Beijing has emphasized that the U.S. decline is due to “lack of public investment and coherent industrial policies,” not Chinese competition.

While imposing barriers on China, the U.S. injects billions in subsidies into its own shipbuilding industry and protects strategic areas such as the Great Lakes and the Caribbean with exemptions. This policy reveals a double standard: free market for others, protectionism for itself. In addition, the next phase of restrictions on transporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) on non-U.S. ships, scheduled for 2028, confirms a hegemonic plan seeking global control.U.S. tariffs, far from being an industrial solution, reflect a geopolitical strategy to contain China, with costs that will fall on workers and dependent economies.

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