US to charge China-owned supertankers $5.2 million per port call

Made-in-China oil supertankers are expected to face higher charges under America's newest proposal to penalize ships built in the Asian nation as the trade conflict between Washington and Beijing continues. China-made supertankers sailing under non-Chinese owners or operators can expect to be hit with a surcharge of nearly $1.9 million upon calling at a US port under the new rules, according to estimates by the research arm of Arrow Shipbroking Group.

The sum swells to $5.2 million for any China-owned or -operated ships, the business noted in an April 18 memo. Market observers calculated that Washington's prior proposal would cost up to $3.5 million each US port call. The dramatic increase in costs under the most recent proposal by the United States Trade Representative originates from a new way of computing levies based on the vessel's cargo capacity, or net registered tonnage.

From mid-October, the cost of any China-made vessel operated by a non-Chinese corporation is $18 per nrt, with costs increasing to $50 if the tanker is owned or operated by a Chinese company. This is in contrast to the prior idea, which charged per-visit.