Advisories

The U.S. will soon establish new fees for vessels owned, operated, or built in China, and for all foreign-built vehicle carrier vessels.

• Annex 1: Effective as of October 14, 2025, a $50 fee per net ton for an arriving vessel owned or operated by a Chinese entity
• Annex 2: Effective as of October 14, 2025, the higher of an $18 fee per net ton, or $120 for each container discharged, from an arriving Chinese-built vessel
• Annex 3: Effective as of October 14, 2025, a $14 fee per net ton for an arriving vessel classified as a vehicle carrier or roll-on/roll-off vessel.

Responsible parties are strongly encouraged to pay fees before vessel arrival, as vessels without proof of payment will be subject to denial of lading or unlading operations, or granting of clearance withheld, until proof of payment can be verified. It is recommended to initiate payment at least three business days in advance of vessel arrival.

“China will take necessary countermeasures against countries or regions that impose or support discriminatory bans, restrictions, or similar measures targeting Chinese operators, vessels, or crew engaged in international maritime transport and related services.” – Chinese Premier Li Qiang via a State Council decree

 

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The U.S. has imposed tariffs on imports of pharmaceuticals and heavy trucks, effective October 1st. 

• 100% tariffs on branded and patented pharmaceuticals entering the U.S., unless a company is “building their pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in America.”
• Washington will also impose a 25% import tax on all heavy-duty trucks.

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On August 29th, a federal appeals court ruled that many tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) exceeded presidential authority. Enforcement of these tariffs remains in place until mid-October, pending a potential Supreme Court appeal. Several measures could be affected if the ruling stands, though other tariffs (Section 301, 232) are based on different statutes and are not directly addressed by this decision. 

• The Trump administration recently submitted a 49-page brief urging the high court to affirm Trump’s broad emergency levies.  

• Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that if the high court rules Trump did not have the authority to impose the tariffs, the U.S. government could be obligated to refund importers anywhere from $750b to $1t.  

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Shippers have 45 days to submit comments evaluating the U.S.-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) free trade agreement governing cross-border trade between the U.S., Mexico and Canada.  

When the USMCA was signed in 2020, the three countries agreed to conduct a joint review meeting every six years to assess and potentially update the terms of the deal.  

Federal Register Notice

Over the next decade, the Panama Canal Authority plans to invest >$8b in strategic projects in four key sectors:  

1. Water availability and security: The plans call for a new reservoir that would provide water for both the canal and human consumption.
2. Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) pipelines: The Panama Canal’s new energy pipeline project will transport propane, butane, and ethane between the Gulf of Mexico and Northeast Asia, thus freeing up canal capacity without additional water usage. The goal is to enhance the canal’s performance by reducing vessel wait times.
3. Roads connecting the Atlantic and Pacific coasts
4. Terminals built on either coast, with the terminals able to accommodate both containers and roll-on and roll-off (RoRo) cargo.

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60+ shipping containers fell from a cargo ship, the MV Mississippi (IMO 9954187), at the Port of Long Beach’s main channel at Pier G. According to Cargowise records, no OIA Global freight was loaded on the MV Mississippi at the time of the accident.

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According to a White House fact sheet, some goods have been added to Annex II, meaning they will no longer be subject to reciprocal tariffs. These goods include bullion-related articles and certain critical minerals and pharmaceutical products subject to pending Section 232 investigations.

Other goods, including certain aluminum hydroxide, resin, and silicone products, have also been removed from Annex II, meaning they are now subject to reciprocal tariffs. These changes took effect on September 8th, and the full list is available below.

Annex II List

An Executive Order, Implementing the United States–Japan Agreement, sets a baseline 15% ad valorem duty on nearly all imported products from Japan. The duties apply retroactively to products of Japan entered for consumption or withdrawn from a warehouse for consumption on or after 12:01 a.m. EST on August 7th, 2025.

The legislation also includes sector-specific treatment for automobiles and automobile parts; aerospace products; generic pharmaceuticals; and natural resources that are not naturally available or produced in the United States. 

Executive Order

U.S. President Donald Trump released an Executive Order, imposing an additional 25% tariff on Indian product imports into the U.S., effective 12:01 a.m. ET on August 27th.

According to the White House, this decision was made due to India’s direct or indirect importation of oil from the Russian Federation.

Executive Order

The de minimis exemption for low-value parcels is officially void, as of August 27th, 2025. The de minimis rule allowed goods valued at $800 or less to enter the United States duty-free and with minimal customs oversight.

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The United States and European Union announced a framework for a long-term agreement on reciprocal, fair, and balanced trade. The framework provides specific benchmarks for the EU to secure tariff discounts on cars, pharmaceuticals, and semiconductors, as well as commitments to cooperate on economic security matters, food standards, and digital trade.

• The EU intends to eliminate tariffs on all U.S. industrial goods and to provide preferential market access for a wide range of U.S. seafood and agricultural goods.
• The U.S. commits to apply the higher of either the U.S. Most Favored Nation (MFN) tariff rate or a tariff rate of 15%, comprised of the MFN tariff and a reciprocal tariff, on originating goods of the E.U.

Joint statement

As of August 18th at 12:01 AM (EST), 400+ new products are now subject to Section 232 steel and aluminum tariffs, impacting both raw materials and derivatives. 

The extended list now covers goods such as motorcycles, baby gear, auto parts, and chemicals. The changes did not exclude goods already in transit to the U.S.

If you are unsure whether your goods will be affected, please contact your OIA Global representative. 

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U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order that suspends the imposition of higher tariffs for 90 days, until 12:01 a.m. EST on November 10, with all other elements of the truce to remain in place. China’s Commerce Ministry issued a similar pause on extra tariffs.

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