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Statement from ICS following reports of a suspension of the recently imposed Section 301 port fees

ICS welcomes the agreement that appears to have been made between President Trump of the United States and President Xi Jinping of China. ICS has been involved in consultations with the United States Trade Representative (USTR) since the beginning of the Section 301 investigation, and the government of China, and we look forward to receiving confirmation on these reports and further details.
The reports of the U.S.’ agreement to suspend the Section 301 port fees on China’s maritime, logistics and shipbuilding industries by one year, and the agreed reciprocal suspension of China’s countermeasures targeting US linked ships, is a welcome and positive development.
ICS supports the ambition to increase U.S. shipbuilding capacity and to make the United States Shipbuilding industry strong, as additional commercial tonnage strengthens the global maritime sector’s efficiency and competitiveness. However, the port fees imposed by the USTR on 14 October 2025, and subsequently by China as countermeasures to U.S. linked ships, has already posed significant challenges and disruptions for the shipping industry and global trade.
At ICS we strongly advocate for the need for shipping to be able to move trade freely and efficiently, and remain committed to working collaboratively with all administrations and international partners to avoid any disruptions to the flow of global trade.