Importers Face Rising Costs as U.S. Tariffs on Chinese-Built Ships Add $3.2 Billion to Global Freight Charges
Importers around the world, including Nigeria, are bracing for higher shipping and clearing costs as the United States introduces new tariffs on Chinese-built vessels. The move, set to take effect on October 14, 2025, will see top global carriers pay an estimated $3.2 billion in additional charges by 2026. According to the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), Chinese lines will pay $80 per net tonnage per voyage, while non-Chinese carriers using Chinese-built ships will face charges between $23 per tonnage or $154 per twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) capacity.
Major international shipping firms — including Cosco Shipping, ZIM, Maersk, CMA CGM, MSC, Hapag-Lloyd, ONE, Evergreen, HMM, and OOCL — are expected to absorb the brunt of these costs. Industry tracker Alphaliner projects that Cosco Group alone could face $1.53 billion in tariffs, while CMA CGM, ONE, and ZIM may collectively pay over $1 billion. To mitigate the impact, some companies are reportedly planning to replace Chinese-built vessels with alternatives from South Korea or Japan.
Experts warn the policy will have a ripple effect across global trade, with importers and consumers ultimately bearing the cost. Dr. Oluwasegun Musa, Executive Chairman of Widescope International Group, said levies on ships would inevitably push up freight rates and import duties. “Once there is an additional charge on a vessel, it passes on to the freight, and invariably, to the cost of goods being shipped,” he explained. For Nigeria, where Cost, Insurance, and Freight (CIF) is used to calculate import duties, Musa noted that the rise will directly translate into higher tariffs and more expensive goods in local markets.
Echoing this concern, Taiwo Fatomilola, National PRO of the Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (AREFFN), said the new charges could raise vehicle shipment costs by up to $300 per car, pushing freight to as high as $1,800 per vehicle. He noted that clearing charges at Nigerian ports would also climb, compounding inflationary pressures. “Consumers will feel the impact because clearing costs will increase, and that means higher prices in the market,” he said.
Similarly, Dr. Muda Yusuf, CEO of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE), said the U.S.-China trade tension could further disrupt Nigeria’s import costs. Although Nigeria’s trade with the U.S. accounts for only about 15 to 20 percent of total imports, he warned that goods such as vehicles, wheat, and machinery could become more expensive. “The intention might be to protect U.S. shipping companies, but the real burden will fall on importers and consumers globally,” Yusuf added. As the policy takes hold, analysts expect Nigerian importers to explore cheaper trade routes to reduce costs amid a challenging economic environment.
source: The Guardian