The White House has confirmed a one-year suspension of U.S. port fees and other measures imposed under the Section 301 investigation targeting China’s dominance in global shipbuilding, logistics, and maritime sectors. The move, effective November 10, 2025, marks a major de-escalation in the trade tensions that have unsettled global shipping markets throughout the year.

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Announced as part of a broader trade accord between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping last week in Busan, South Korea, the suspension covers all “responsive actions” tied to the Section 301 probe, while both sides negotiate a longer-term maritime framework.

“The United States will suspend for one year the implementation of the responsive actions taken pursuant to the Section 301 investigation on China’s Targeting the Maritime, Logistics, and Shipbuilding Sectors for Dominance,” the White House said in its fact sheet. “During this time, the U.S. will continue negotiations with China while deepening cooperation with Korea and Japan to revitalize American shipbuilding.”

Reciprocal Steps from China

In exchange, China will roll back its own retaliatory measures, including sanctions on several shipping entities—believed to include units of Korean shipbuilder Hanwha—and suspend counter-fees on U.S.-linked vessels for one year.

The port fees had their origin in a Section 301 petition filed in March 2024 by the United Steelworkers (USW) and a coalition of labor unions. The petition accused Beijing of using state subsidies and non-market practices to dominate global shipbuilding. Following that complaint, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) ruled in January 2025 that China’s maritime and shipbuilding policies were “unreasonable” under U.S. trade law.

“Today, the U.S. ranks 19th globally in commercial shipbuilding, producing fewer than five ships a year, while China builds over 1,700,” said Katherine Tai, former USTR under the Biden administration. “China’s dominance in this sector undermines fair competition and remains the biggest obstacle to reviving U.S. shipbuilding.”

Suspension Covers Broad Maritime Actions

The White House said the suspension applies not only to the port fees on China-linked ships—introduced October 14—but also to potential tariffs on Chinese-built cranes and cargo-handling equipment, fees on foreign-built car carriers, and rules tied to LNG shipping incentives.

While the move relieves immediate financial strain on shipping operators, it also raises questions about the future direction of U.S. industrial maritime policy.

Industry Divided on Impact

Labor representatives expressed mixed reactions. Roy Houseman, Legislative Director for the United Steelworkers, called the suspension a “truce with loose ends,” warning that Washington still lacks a coherent plan to rebuild domestic shipyard capacity.

“Fifty-three percent of all global ship orders by tonnage in the first eight months of 2025 went to China,” Houseman said. “That level of concentration is unhealthy. We need policies that genuinely reinvigorate U.S.-based shipbuilding.”

Shipping industry groups, however, broadly welcomed the decision. The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) described the suspension as “a positive and stabilizing step,” noting that the earlier fee regime had already “posed significant challenges and disruptions” to global trade.

World Shipping Council President Joe Kramek echoed the sentiment:

“Global trade flows best when it flows freely. The suspension of ship fees by both the U.S. and China is a win for exporters, importers, and consumers alike.”

Next Steps: Regulatory Details Still Pending

Despite the White House confirmation, maritime legal experts cautioned that the details still hinge on upcoming regulatory filings.

“The administration’s fact sheet sets the timeline, but the formal regulatory language will define the true scope of the suspension,” said Brian Maloney, partner at Seward & Kissel’s Maritime & Transportation Group. “The USTR’s public comment period for the Section 301 probe closes November 10, so final regulatory action will likely follow shortly after.”

For now, the temporary suspension offers a welcome reprieve for shippers caught between dueling trade measures—but with only a one-year window, industry observers say the truce may simply postpone deeper policy battles over how to rebuild U.S. shipbuilding competitiveness in the face of China’s global maritime dominance.

Container prices have eased slightly, but UK demand is rising. Orders for new one-trip containers have tripled since Q1, as companies try to stay ahead of rising freight costs and potential delays.

Read also: Container Shipping Profits Sink 56% in Q2 as US Tariffs Cloud Outlook

Red Sea diversions are still adding time and cost. In the Strait of Hormuz, tensions are affecting oil prices and shipping activity. These global issues are now starting to influence UK supply.

Here, we’ll look at what that could mean for availability, pricing, and procurement decisions in the months ahead.

Longer wait times for stock

Some carriers are now quoting up to £232 per 20ft unit to reposition empty containers into the UK, a cost they previously absorbed. It’s part of a wider shift: global volumes might be softening, but UK delivery, depot space, and timing pressures are pushing buyers to act early.

That’s especially true in time-critical sectors like construction, infrastructure, and retail, where the risk of delay outweighs the potential savings from holding off.

“A few years ago, buyers could afford to wait for prices to settle,” says Andrew Thompson. Chief Executive Officer at Cleveland Containers. “Now, they’re planning further ahead to make sure stock arrives when it’s needed, without extra surcharges or hold-ups.”

Availability is no longer guaranteed just because demand is lower overall. Preferred formats, such as new 20fts or high cubes, are getting booked out faster, and once delivery windows tighten, even small changes in availability or spec can cause real disruption.

Rising production costs

Global freight rates have eased, but container prices aren’t following. That’s because the real pressure is now happening further upstream, where production costs are climbing.

Key materials like steel, marine plywood, and hardware fittings have all gone up over the past quarter. Chinese and Southeast Asian manufacturers are already pricing these increases into forward orders for Q3 and Q4.

Steel is the biggest factor, as prices for hot-rolled coil, the base material used in container walls and frames, are up year-on-year and remain volatile due to energy costs and regional supply constraints. Plywood used for container flooring has also jumped, as export restrictions limit supply.

For UK buyers, this means current factory quotes are already 8-12% higher than last year, and that’s before port charges, rerouting costs, or warehousing are added.

“We’re seeing the impact start at the factory,” says Thompson. “Costs are up on new builds, and that’s now feeding through to used units too. It’s not freight driving prices this time, it’s what it costs to produce the container in the first place.”

Geopolitics

Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz are disrupting main shipping routes, affecting oil prices. Frontline’s suspension of freight contracts in the region shows how seriously carriers are treating the risk.

China remains a major importer of Iranian oil, so any disruption affects energy costs for manufacturers, especially for steel, paint, and plywood. That’s already feeding into container pricing.

“Oil volatility is showing up in supplier quotes,” says Thompson. “It’s not just freight, anything with an energy cost is going up.”

Red Sea diversions continue, but the bigger concern is how quickly these pressures spread. As with the 2021 Suez blockage, local disruption can have a global impact.

What UK Buyers should be watching now

UK container supply held steady through early 2025, but that’s already changing. Forward orders for one-trip 20fts have jumped, and depot turnover is accelerating. Stock is still available, but the units buyers want most, such as newbuilds, high-cubes, and CSC-certified containers, are booking out earlier and moving faster.

Pricing pressure is coming from both ends. Factory quotes are rising due to raw material costs and energy volatility, while rerouting and port delays continue to feed into landed prices. That’s pushing more buyers to act early, especially in sectors where timing and spec can’t be compromised.

Leasing is also trending up, particularly on projects with uncertain timeframes or tight budgets. But even here, availability is narrowing. For used stock, rising newbuild costs are quietly lifting replacement value, and that’s already starting to show in pricing.

What matters now is how these pressures interact. A shift in oil prices, a change in freight routing, or even a regional supply gap can push up costs quickly. And most buyers won’t feel it until the quoting stage, when timelines are fixed and flexibility is gone.

If you’re waiting for prices to drop or supply to catch up, you may already be behind the curve. Decisions made now, on spec, timing, or procurement route, will determine how exposed your business is heading into Q4.