The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has proposed keeping specified fees on China-linked maritime shipping suspended through Jan. 9, 2027. The two-month extension would continue a pause now scheduled to end Nov. 9, keeping the covered charges suspended into early next year if adopted.
USDA highlighted the proposal in its Oct. 29 Grain Transportation Report. USTR’s proposal was published Oct. 26; Nov. 10 is the proposed start of the extension, not the announcement date. The notice proposes a continuation rather than announcing a final decision.
What would remain suspended
Under the proposal, the additional suspension would run from midnight Eastern time on Nov. 10, 2026, through 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on Jan. 9, 2027. During that period, parties would neither accrue liability for nor have to pay the specified maritime transport service fees.
The proposal also would continue suspending duties covered by the same trade action on ship-to-shore cranes and certain Chinese cargo-handling equipment. Those equipment duties are separate from the maritime service fees, but both fall within the proposed extension.
Existing pause and next proposed period
The existing one-year suspension began Nov. 10, 2025. USTR adopted it following the trade and economic agreement between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, citing China’s commitment to negotiate over the issues raised in the agency’s Section 301 investigation.
That investigation concerns China’s policies and practices in maritime transportation, logistics and shipbuilding. In proposing another two months, USTR said the United States continues to engage with China to seek elimination of the practices at issue. The proposal would extend the suspension, not permanently remove the underlying measures.
USTR set Oct. 30 at 5 p.m. Eastern time as the deadline for written comments to be assured consideration. That deadline has passed. The distinction for agricultural shipping businesses is between the adopted pause through Nov. 9 and the proposed continuation through Jan. 9.
