The World Shipping Council (WSC), the international association representing the main shipping companies of the liner seafarer, wrote to the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) on the measures presented last year month by the U.S. Federal Administration Office for counter Chinese competition in the shipbuilding market ( of 18 April 2025). If the WSC has repeatedly expressed previously its concerns about the effectiveness of these measures and the negative repercussions that would have on the economy itself In the letter, the association focuses on the impact negative that the measures would have on exports U.S. seaborne cars and other vehicles produced by companies exports worth 20 billion dollars, also causing an increase in vehicle prices for consumers American.

The WSC therefore requested the USTR to open a file on Schedule III to Section 301 of the Trade Act 1974, which allows US President Trump to introduce measures to practices adopted by nations that are deemed unfair and to the detriment of US trade, in order to gather feedback Public. "A comment period of 30-60 days - explains the association in the letter - would allow the USTR to benefit from comments from the public and would not hinder the USTR since The procedure would be concluded well before the date of entry into force announced by the USTR, on 14 October 2025'.

In particular, in the opinion of the WSC, it would be necessary to review the measure that provides for the application of taxes to be paid by all Foreign ships: "Almost all the carriers that serve the United States - explains the association - is built abroad. Imposing a tax on all foreign vessels, given that currently China-built car carriers are the best value for money on the market, the USTR is in fact encouraging the purchase of ships built in China. In addition to that, Taxes on all foreign vessels far exceed the authority of the USTR in relation to 301, which requires it to develop a corrective measure to limit the behaviour of the China considered prosecutable in the investigation. And, as already stated by WSC in our comments to the USTR during this proceedings, retroactive taxes on Chinese ships already built will not contribute in any way to limiting the conduct considered to be punishable by the USTR".

In addition, the WSC disputes the use of the car equivalent parameter Unit (CEU) for the calculation of taxes payable by ships. "The CEU - specifies the association - does not have a definition Universally accepted and the CEUs of the car-carriers can vary according to the adjustment of the bridge configurations for transport of different types of cargo, e.g. for transport Large heavy rolling stock or for transport of passenger vehicles. It should also be noted - the WSC specifies - that the use of the net tonnage parameter of Annex II shall not would be appropriate for vehicle carriers, given that their Closed structure produces a calculation of the net tonnage extremely high. A better parameter - suggests the association - could be a fee per vehicle transported, with a credit for each vehicle exported on the same ship".

The WSC also complains that the measures do not include a limit on fees for more than five trips per year and that does not include exemptions for car carriers used under the the U.S. Maritime Administration's and for ships small size.

"These are just some of the reasons why The calculations in Annex III are incorrect. The opening of a Annex III dossier will allow the USTR to to assess specific aspects of the vehicle carrier sector, which presents route configurations, ship sizes and services different from those of suppliers of other types of transport including container ship operators, and Gather the information you need to make the best changes Annex III.'

The letter, signed by the president and CEO of the World Shipping Council, Joe Kramek - concludes by recalling that "the World Shipping Council fully supports the stated goal the administration to revitalize the maritime industry and US shipbuilding. The WSC and its member companies reiterate their readiness to make available the considerable expertise to assist the administration in the its goal of revitalizing the maritime and shipbuilding industry American".