Please find attached at Annex A, the monthly report prepared by the Chamber of Shipping of America (CSA) for August 2026.

The report at Annex A includes updates on:

· USTR Section 301 Investigation of China’s Targeting of the Maritime, Logistics, and Shipbuilding Sectors for Dominance

The expiry date for the one-year suspension of the Section 301 port fees on Chinese-linked vessels, 9 November, is quickly approaching, and there have not been any updates from the U.S. Administration and USTR on the future of the suspended fees. CSA sent a letter to Ambassador Greer on 13 July and followed up again two weeks ago, but neither has drawn a formal response so far. More details can be found in the report attached.

· Jones Act Waiver Act

On 10 August, the Administration extended the Jones Act waiver for an additional 90 days, through mid-November. The extension does narrow the waiver in the following ways: blanket exemptions are replaced by case-by-case review of individual voyages, the Department of War must now consult with MARAD on the availability of Jones Act-qualified vessels, and the range of covered commodities has been reduced. The IRS has also updated its website to clarify that income of a foreign corporation from the operation between U.S. ports under the Jones Act waiver is not eligible for the gross income exclusion. More details can be found in the report attached.

· Net Zero Framework Summary Ahead of ISWG-GHG 22

Following the discussions at MEPC 84, where consensus on the original NZF text was not reached, several alternative proposals were put forward. The ISWG-GHG 22 meetings which took place from 1-4 September, were an opportunity for IMO Member States to discuss these key issues. In the attached report, CSA provide a summary of Member States’ positions, from before the meetings took place.

· Port Access Route Study (PARS) for the approaches to Galveston Bay, Sabine Pass, and Calcasieu Pass

The U.S. Coast Guard Heartland District’s issued their Final Report, addressing the Port Access Route Study (PARS) for the approaches to Galveston Bay and Sabine Pass, Texas, and Calcasieu Pass, Louisiana (TX/LAPARS). The study notes that the safety fairways are adequate but cannot be widened due to existing infrastructure. Additionally, the study proposes three new anchorages to accommodate vessel traffic growth and support port expansion. More details can be found in the attached report.

· CARB Congressional Review Act (CRA) Resolutions

On 6 August, Senator Sullivan (R-AK) and Representative Fong (R-CA-20) introduced Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolutions that seek to disapprove and invalidate the action submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to address engine pollution standards for Ocean-Going Vessels At-Berth. More details can be found in the attached report.

· USCG Streamlined Inspection Program (SIP) NVIC 02-99 Draft Policy Comment Period

The U.S. Coast Guard has published a Federal Register Request for Comments regarding a draft update to NVIC 02-99, Change 1 (Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular), which modernizes guidance on the Streamlined Inspection Program (SIP). The draft NVIC represents a significant update to SIP policies and reflects technological advances and operational changes in the maritime industry since the original guidance was published.

· Availability of Retrospective Analysis of 2012 Ballast Water Discharge Standards (Notice of Availability and request for comments FR June 11, 2026 – pgs. 35491-35492)

As reported in the June 2026 CSA report, CSA submitted comments to the docket on the above referenced document. A summary of the key points made in the comments are included in the attached report.