There are hopes that President Trump’s recent meeting with Xi Jinping of China could see a pause in tariffs on imports of ship-to-shore cranes and chassis manufactured in China and arriving at US ports.
Reports in the international media confirm that Jamieson Greer, US Trade Representative was soliciting feedback on the possibility of a one-year truce. As proposed, China would also agree to halt any retaliatory measures.
Collectively, the move, if agreed by the US and China, represents a 12-month pledge not to invoke tariffs or other penalties stemming from a US probe into China’s actions in the maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors.
The US federal government was planning to collect 100% tariffs on imported ship-to-shore cranes, intermodal chassis and parts, a move that targets Chinese-made port equipment, from November 9, 2025. The plan also proposed potential additional tariffs as high as 150% on some Chinese-origin cargo handling equipment used across the US port industry as well.
In response, China announced steep fees on US-owned ships calling at Chinese ports on the same day.
