The Association has received member enquiries on the latest development of the captioned subject.

Briefly, the U.S. Customs and Boarder Protection (CBP) has been confirmed as the implementation agency for the USTR section 301 fees, due to take effect on 14 October 2025. Earlier, the U.S. CBP published an information document (attached), specifying that the burden for determining if a vessel owes the fee would be on the operator, not CBP, as well as outlining other procedural information relating to fee payment.

As we understand it, details on the final fee structure, exemptions, definitions and other “FAQs”, have yet to be published by the USTR.

Members are encouraged to consult their expert advice on issues related to their company operations. Meanwhile, should members wish to exchange views with the Association on the subject matter, please feel free to liaise with the secretariat (Managing Director Sandy Chan, Regulatory Affairs Director Nittin Handa, or China Affairs Director Gilbert Feng).

Thank you for your attention.

SPC(25)63 -Annex A – U.S. CBP CSMS Attachment – Section 301 Vessel Fees