New Section 301 Vessel Fees Effective October 14, 2025

Trade Update • Oct. 6, 2025

Key Points

• New fees apply to vessels owned, operated, or built in China, and foreign-built vehicle carrier vessels.
• Operators are responsible for determining and paying fees; CBP will not calculate fees.
• Fees must be paid via the U.S. Treasury’s Pay.gov website before or upon vessel arrival at the first U.S. port; late payment results in operational denial.
• Three fee categories exist under Annexes I, II, and III with varying rates and conditions.
• Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) tankers are exempt from these fees.

Pursuant to the Federal Register Notice titled “Notice of Action and Proposed Action in Section 301 Investigation of China’s Targeting the Maritime, Logistics, and Shipbuilding Sectors for Dominance,” published April 17, 2025, and modified on June 12, 2025, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is implementing new fees on certain vessels entering U.S. ports, effective October 14, 2025.

CBP has issued guidance with an attachment detailing the fees and key requirements to assist operators with compliance and enforcement. These fees target vessels connected to China’s maritime sectors as part of trade enforcement measures.

Annex Fee Details

• Annex I: Applies to vessels owned or operated by a Chinese entity. A fee of $50 per net ton is charged, with further scheduled fee increases in subsequent years.
• Annex II: Targets Chinese-built vessels regardless of operator. Fees start at the higher of $18 per net ton or $120 per container discharged. Fees are capped at five charges per fiscal year. Exemptions exist for certain vessels, including U.S. government cargo and vessels under specific capacity thresholds.
• Annex III: Covers all foreign-built vehicle carrier and roll-on/roll-off vessels arriving in U.S. ports. Fee set at $14 per net ton with possible suspension if a U.S.-built vessel is ordered.
• Exemptions: LNG tankers (vessel type 132) are exempt from these fees under all annexes.

Payment Process and Required Information

Operators are urged to pay fees at least three business days before vessel arrival to avoid delays. Payment is submitted exclusively through the Department of Treasury’s Pay.gov portal using the Section 301 Fee Payment Form, which requires the following information.

• Vessel Name
• Arrival Port
• Estimated Arrival Date
• IMO / Official Number
• Voyage Number
• Vessel Operator Name
• Vessel Operator Tax ID / CBP Number
• Payor Name, Address, and Contact Information
• Form of Payment (ACH Debit bank account accepted)

After submitting the above details, the payer will be asked to select the correct Fee Type (Annex I, II, or III) and provide data for calculation, like the container count and net tonnage.

Upon successful payment, confirmation is forwarded to CBP’s Vessel Entrance and Clearance System (VECS). If VECS does not match payments to arriving vessels, operators must present proof to CBP to avoid operational hold-ups. Without proof of payment, vessels face denial of cargo unloading/loading and clearance at the port.

Questions can be directed to: OFO-MANIFESTBRANCH@cbp.dhs.go.

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