Grimaldi Warns US Port Fees Could Pull Ships From American Trades
Italian shipping group Grimaldi says reinstating US port fees on foreign-built vehicle carriers could force it to move ships away from American trades. That could disrupt services for US exporters and automakers.
The company made the warning in a 30 October filing with the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). It backed the administration's proposal to extend the suspension of Section 301 port fees through 9 January 2027. It also asked for a permanent suspension of the fees on foreign-built vehicle carriers.
"Many of our American customers have expressed concern at the thought of Grimaldi redeploying its ships out of US trades if the proposed further suspension of this Section 301 action is not implemented."
Where the extension stands
The current suspension is due to expire on 9 November. USTR is considering a two-month extension while Washington and Beijing keep negotiating over China's dominance of global shipbuilding. The comment period closes on 30 October at 5 p.m. Eastern Time. The extension has not yet been finalised.
The fees took effect on 14 October 2025 and were suspended on 10 November as part of a broader trade agreement between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. They target Chinese-owned and Chinese-operated vessels, Chinese-built ships and certain foreign-built vehicle carriers. Carriers have criticised them, arguing they could raise transport costs and disrupt established networks.
Grimaldi's figures
Grimaldi said that over the past three years it carried nearly 985,000 tons of US exports and 1.31 million tons of imports. American automakers' cargo made up 74.7% of its US import volume. In total, 86% of what it carries in US trades is American exports or imports tied to US automakers. "Few shipping lines have such a high percentage of American cargo," it said.
The company also noted that it has called at American ports since 2001 and supplied cargo ships to the US Navy during the Second Gulf War.
Atlantic Container Line (ACL) raised similar concerns last week. Its chief executive, Andy Abbott, told gCaptain that customers feared the carrier would redeploy ships away from US trades if the fees returned. He said ACL's ships were mistakenly classified by USTR as vehicle carriers, though only 1% of its cargo is automobiles.
The proposed extension also faces opposition from lawmakers and maritime labour groups who want the fees reinstated. In June, senators Mark Kelly and Elizabeth Warren urged USTR to restore the charges. They argued that suspending them undermined efforts to rebuild US commercial shipbuilding and cost the government potential revenue for maritime investment.
Grimaldi wants relief from the fees imposed under Annex III of the Section 301 action, which covers foreign-built vehicle carriers. It said it understands USTR's intentions but hopes "no insurmountable roadblocks will be put in our way."
Source: gCaptain