How will US port fees affect China’s shipbuilding industry?

Major companies can absorb the impact.

The US’s plan to impose port fees on Chinese–owned/operated vessels is seen to raise costs and test the resilience of Beijing’s shipbuilding, shipping, and leasing companies.

According to S&P Global Ratings, China's shipbuilders are expected “to weather the change, with only limited impact on their new order book for the next three years.”

“We also expect the major Chinese leasing companies to have buffers against potential downside risk. That said, further uncertainties may emerge beyond this time frame,” it added.

A new US port fee starting around mid-October 2025 will add costs to China-built or China-operated/owned ships and create uncertainties for Chinese shipbuilding, shipping and leasing companies.

China’s major ship builders can absorb the impact over the next two years, thanks to scale and cost advantages that keep them ahead of the global competition.

“For rated Chinese financial leasing companies with shipping exposure, group support continues to be a crucial factor in our rating assessment, in view of China's strategic priority in the maritime sector,” S&P Global Ratings said.

“The leasing companies' capital strength and the diversity of their portfolios reinforce their position, even when the fee erodes returns on some shipping assets,” it added.