Container shipping lines boost orders in China to 75% of global share despite US port fee threats, reports SeaNews from Saint Petersburg.
Container shipping lines increased vessel orders in China in 2025 despite the threat of US Section 301 port fees, with China's share of the global orderbook climbing to 75 per cent, reports Saint Petersburg's SeaNews.
The US Trade Representative announced in April 2024 plans to impose charges on Chinese-built and owned ships calling at US ports, aiming to revive domestic shipbuilding. Beijing threatened countermeasures, but both sides suspended the fees until November 9. Carriers, however, continued to order ships in China, citing cost and delivery certainty.
Analyst Antonella Teodoro of MDS Transmodal stated that China's share of the orderbook rose from 68.7 per cent to 75 per cent, while Korea's share fell to 20.4 per cent and Japan's to 3.4 per cent. Chinese yards added about 2.54 million TEU to their backlog, as carriers expanded the global orderbook from 7.5 million TEU to 10.3 million TEU in 2025.
Ms. Teodoro noted that shipowners acted on 'present certainties' rather than 'uncertain future costs,' suggesting US policy interventions had limited immediate impact. She added that most slots are booked into 2029, meaning port fees will have little effect until well after President Donald Trump's term.
'China cannot be isolated by a policy implemented by a single country,' she said, stressing that shipowners base decisions on cost, capacity, and delivery certainty rather than headline policy.
