A significant portion of the Greek-owned merchant fleet may soon be affected by emerging US policies, as new port charges targeting Chinese-built ships are set to take effect.
According to Lloyd’s List Intelligence, if the US Trade Representative’s (USTR) proposal is implemented, over 20% of Greek ship voyages to the US could incur these fees with potential costs exceeding $1 billion.
In 2024, Greek-owned vessels participating in US routes, totaling approximately 281.7 million deadweight tons (dwt), made 3,749 voyages to US ports. Of these, 903 voyages (24% of arrivals and 21% of total capacity) were by ships built in China.
The proposed USTR regulation, announced in April 2025, primarily targets ships based on their country of construction, aiming to reduce US dependence on Chinese shipbuilding and enhance national security.
Greek shipping, a global leader in maritime trade, faces potentially severe economic repercussions from this policy with bulk carriers and containerships being the most vulnerable to these tariffs.
Among the 903 voyages by Greek-owned, Chinese-built ships to the US, 536 were bulk carriers, 175 were containerships and 98 were crude oil tankers.
