Officially Suspended for One Year – Section 301 Vessel Fees and BIS “Affiliates Rule”

Officially Suspended for One Year – Section 301 Vessel Fees and BIS “Affiliates Rule”

The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) formally announced that, effective November 10, 2025, the United States will suspend for one year the Section 301–related fees recently imposed on certain China-linked vessels, as well as the proposed and scheduled tariffs on select maritime-related equipment such as ship-to-shore cranes and cargo-handling equipment. In response, China’s Ministry of Transport will also suspend its retaliatory vessel fees on U.S.-built and U.S.-owned or operated vessels for the same one-year period.

These actions follow the November 1 White House Fact Sheet and ongoing U.S.–China trade discussions after the October 30 meeting between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping.

Both countries’ suspensions run from November 10, 2025, through November 9, 2026, unless extended or modified.

Separately, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has suspended, for one year, portions of the “Affiliates Rule,” which would have expanded export-control restrictions to entities owned 50% or more by listed parties, including those on the Entity List, MEU List, and certain SDNs. The suspension is effective from November 10, 2025, through November 9, 2026. The November Federal Register Notice noted that only certain sections of the Affiliates Rule issued September 30 are suspended, and additional clarification from the agency is still needed.

Western Overseas will continue monitoring all USTR and BIS developments, as it is possible these suspensions could change or end earlier than planned. We will share updates as new information becomes available.

If you have questions about how these changes may affect your shipments or export-control obligations, please contact your Western Overseas representative.