Over 179 million Mt of dry bulk cargo is currently at sea, on route to China and now facing a massive, sudden cost hike.
Who pays the penalty?
China’s new port fees are a direct countermeasure to US tariffs, hitting any ship with significant US ties (ownership, operation, flag, or even ≥25% US equity/board seats). The net is cast wide.
The cost:
Initial fee: Starts at RMB 400/net ton
Escalation: Triples to RMB 1,120/net ton by 2028.
The math: The entry fee alone adds a shock factor of ≈ $20/t to a single Brazil-China iron ore trip.
The urgent impact:
Without immediate clarification, vessels may have to wait outside Chinese ports or divert entirely while fees are negotiated. This uncertainty is set to instantly tighten global ship supply and place significant upward pressure on dry bulk freight rates.
What does this mean for your iron ore, coal, and grain supply chains? The market is set to freeze before it spikes. Owners will refuse to take on US-linked risk without a premium. Charterers will scramble for clean tonnage. Result? Tighter supply, soaring rates.
Source: Anastasia M. Milopoulou, (Kpler)
