News Release
FOR RELEASE - October 15, 2025
Contact: Shawn Balcomb, press@aapa-ports.org
American Association of Port Authorities
Phone: (202) 792-4033
www.aapa-ports.org
Washington, D.C. — Today, the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) released the following statement in response to the October 10th publication of new taxes on port development and shipping:
“The seaport industry is challenged by yet more taxes on the equipment necessary for supply chain expansion and resilience," stated AAPA President and CEO, Cary Davis. "Ports large and small struggle to finance large, modern, world-class equipment like cranes when government policies double the price overnight. The choice is between affordable equipment or lagging behind. AAPA supports the Trump Administration’s efforts to bring critical manufacturing back to America, but tariffs on key equipment will not lead to a manufacturing boom; they will only make shipping goods through U.S. ports more costly.”
The announcement from the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) included several determinations and new proposals that amount to taxes on U.S. ports. First, the fee on all foreign-built vehicle carriers calling at U.S. ports was raised to $46 per net ton. This amounts to an exorbitant fee that will make cars more expensive for consumers and make American cars less competitive in the global market. USTR never opened a comment period for new fees on foreign-built vehicle carriers, and this fee is now in effect as of today.
Second, USTR finalized a new 100% tariff on Chinese ship-to-shore (STS) cranes. AAPA appreciates the Trump Administration not applying this tariff to cranes ordered before the publication of the proposal, allowing a small number of ports to avoid multi-million-dollar tariff payments on contracts that were already executed when the tariff was proposed. However, AAPA remains opposed to the 100% tariff, which will only make cranes delivered from allied nations more expensive. There is still not a single American producer of STS cranes. AAPA has endorsed the Port Cranes Tax Credit Act of 2025, led by Rep. Mike Ezell (R-MS), which would incentivize domestic production of STS cranes. Without it, a new 100% tariff will likely only serve to delay port modernization.
Finally, USTR also proposed a new 150% tariff on a broad range of cargo-handling equipment from China, including gantry cranes, reach stackers, terminal tractors, and more. By effectively pricing out these equipment types for U.S. ports, these tariffs mean ports will delay expansion and modernization plans for years. Any price increase in equipment must be offset by reducing expenses elsewhere, whether workforce training or capital investment. High tariffs on allied nations in Europe and Asia, where much of the world’s port equipment is manufactured, mean costs for CHE will continue to rise worldwide.
AAPA supports efforts to bring maritime industry manufacturing back to America. However, these ill-advised trade policy changes will cause America’s ports to slow modernization and fall further behind competitors, when the maritime industry has emerged as a key focus of national and economic security.
We urge the Trump Administration to reverse course on these tariffs and instead support American businesses through targeted tax credits and funding for port infrastructure.
About AAPA:
The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) is the unified voice of port leaders and maritime industry partners across the Western Hemisphere which serve a vital role in job-creation, international competitiveness, and economic prosperity. Connecting small business owners, retailers, and manufacturers to the global marketplace, AAPA member organizations advocate for national policies and infrastructure investments in support of a resilient global supply chain and a positive impact on the way people live, work, travel, and engage in commerce.
