
Vehicle carriers seek relief from broad US port fees
Operators of hulking car carriers are seeking relief from the U.S. Trade Representative's surprise plan to levy port fees on all foreign-built ships in that segment, including 20 vessels that guarantee transport for the U.S. military during a war or national emergency, three sources told Reuters.
USTR announced the fees on April 17 as part of an ongoing effort to hit certain China-linked ships calling at U.S. ports with fees that would fund a domestic shipbuilding revival and counter China's dominance on the high seas.
The fees sent a shockwave through the vehicle carrier industry, because they went beyond targeting China-built and China-owned ships.
The fees on vehicle carriers are so broad that they would hit the 20 U.S.-flagged and U.S.-crewed vehicle carriers admitted to the U.S. Maritime Security Program (MSP) that supports Washington's military readiness, according to two attorneys, who requested anonymity due to fear of reprisal.
The fees also would heap massive costs on U.S. automakers already hurt by U.S. President Donald Trump 's tariff policies.
The levies were not mentioned in the original USTR port fee proposal from February, so unlike operators of other vessels, vessel carriers had no opportunity to give feedback.
"The fee on the car carriers came from nowhere," one of the attorneys said.
Both said the USTR overreached because the fees are levied on ships made in countries that were not part of the Biden administration's fast-track investigation that found China unfairly dominates the global maritime, logistics and shipbuilding sectors.
The World Shipping Council (WSC), whose members include Swedish vehicle transporter Wallenius Wilhelmsen, warned on April 18 that the fees would hit almost every car carrier and have unintended consequences.
WSC declined to comment further.
The attorneys and one industry group say they have requested meetings with USTR to discuss their concerns. USTR did not immediately comment on whether the body would meet with vessel carrier representatives.
The USTR plans plans to charge foreign-built vehicle carriers $150 for every car the ship has capacity to carry, beginning on October 14. That fee would be $900,000 for a ship that transports 6,000 cars.
Vehicle carriers are vital to U.S. military readiness because they can transport large equipment such as tanks, aircraft and helicopters.
Companies with ships in the MSP include Florida-based American Roll-On, Roll-Off Carrier Group, a U.S.-flag operator of vehicle carriers that is part of Wallenius Wilhelmsen Group. New York-based Liberty Global Logistics, is another provider. Spokespeople for ARC and Liberty did not immediately respond to requests for comment, while Wallenius Wilhelmsen declined to comment.
A spokesman for Maersk Line Ltd, the U.S. arm of the Danish container shipping giant which is also part of the MSP, said it is reviewing the most recent information from USTR and preparing for a range of scenarios.
There are 1,466 vehicle carriers in operation, according to data from Alphaliner.
Just 39 of those ships were built in the United States, Alphaliner said.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
LeMonde
17 minutes ago
- LeMonde
Los Angeles-area mayors demand that Trump administration stop stepped-up immigration raids
Dozens of mayors from across the Los Angeles region banded together Wednesday, June 11, to demand that the Trump administration stop the stepped-up immigration raids that have spread fear across their cities and sparked protests across the US. But there were no signs President Donald Trump would heed their pleas. About 500 of the National Guard troops deployed to the Los Angeles protests have been trained to accompany agents on immigration operations, the commander in charge said Wednesday. And while some troops have already gone on such missions, he said it's too early to say if that will continue even after the protests die down. "We are expecting a ramp-up," said Maj. Gen. Scott Sherman said, noting that protests across the nation were being discussed. "I'm focused right here in LA, what's going on right here. But you know, I think we're, we're very concerned." A demonstration in Los Angeles' civic center Wednesday evening just before the second night of the city's downtown curfew was set to start, suddenly turned chaotic, as police in riot gear — many on horseback — charged at a group, striking them with wooden rods and pushing them out of a park in front of City Hall. Officers also fired crowd control projectiles, striking at least one young woman, who writhed in pain on the ground as she bled from her hip. It wasn't clear what initiated the confrontation. But minutes earlier, some protesters had lit fireworks as they approached the federal building, the site of numerous showdowns in recent nights. Simultaneously, a larger portion of the protest was in the middle of a dance party. 'Stop terrorizing our residents' The LA-area mayors and city council members urged Trump to stop using armed military troops alongside immigration agents during the raids. "I'm asking you, please listen to me, stop terrorizing our residents," said Brenda Olmos, vice mayor of Paramount, who said she was hit by rubber bullets over the weekend. "You need to stop these raids." Speaking alongside the other mayors at a news conference, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said the raids spread fear at the behest of the White House. The city's nightly curfew that started Tuesday will remain in effect as long as necessary in a 1-square-mile (2.5-square-kilometer) section of downtown. The city of Los Angeles encompasses roughly 500 square miles (1,295 square kilometers). "If there are raids that continue, if there are soldiers marching up and down our streets, I would imagine that the curfew will continue,' Bass said. Those who have been caught up in the nationwide raids include asylum seekers, people who overstayed their visas and migrants awaiting their day in immigration court. The administration has cited the protests in its decision to deploy the military. Referring to the demonstrations, which have been mostly concentrated in the LA business district, the Democratic mayor added: "If you drive a few blocks outside of downtown, you don't know that anything is happening in the city at all." California's Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, has asked a federal court to put an emergency stop to the military helping immigration agents in the nation's second-largest city. This week, guardsmen began standing protectively around agents as they carried out arrests. A judge set a hearing for Thursday. The Trump administration called the lawsuit a "crass political stunt endangering American lives" in its official response on Wednesday. LA 'would be burning to the ground' The military is now closer to engaging in law enforcement actions such as deportations, as Trump has promised in his crackdown. The Guard has the authority to temporarily detain people who attack officers, but any arrests must be made by law enforcement. The president posted on the Truth Social platform that the city "would be burning to the ground" if he had not sent in the military. Some 2,000 National Guard soldiers are in Los Angeles, and are soon to be joined by 2,000 more along with about 700 Marines, Sherman said. Los Angeles police have made nearly 400 arrests and detentions since Saturday, the vast majority of which were for failing to leave the area at the request of law enforcement, according to the police department. There have been a handful of more serious charges, including for assault against police officers and for possession of a Molotov cocktail and a gun. Nine police officers have been hurt, mostly with minor injures. Some were transported to a hospital and released. Demonstrations have also spread to other cities nationwide, including Dallas and Austin in Texas, and Chicago and New York, where thousands rallied and more arrests were made. In New York City, police said they took 86 people into custody during protests in lower Manhattan that lasted into Wednesday morning. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the majority of demonstrators were peaceful.


Euronews
26 minutes ago
- Euronews
Merz, Frederiksen discuss Ukraine, security, migration, global trade
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomed Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen at the Federal Chancellery in Berlin on Thursday. Topping the agenda for the two leaders was Russia's invasion of Ukraine, immigration bilateral ties and global trade and politics. Commenting on recent Russian attacks on Ukraine, Merz stressed that anyone with a reasonably clear view must recognise that 'Russia is a threat to the security' of the entire NATO alliance. As the NATO leaders' summit in the Hague nears, the German chancellor emphasised that 'Russia is a risk to security on both sides of the Atlantic.' Merz noted that the allies are set to discuss a 'historic' increase in defence spending at the summit in light of the threat the Kremlin poses to Europe. 'We will strengthen the European pillar of NATO together,' said Merz. Frederiksen echoed a similar sentiment, as she highlighted the need to bolster the continent's defences as quickly as possible. 'We have to rebuild our European Defence Industry and of course the German Industry is key for us,' said the Danish leader. 'Rearm Europe, do it fast,' added Frederiksen. The two leaders also discussed immigration, where they expressed similar views regarding the need to impose stricter policies. 'We cannot accept everyone who wants to come to Europe, it has to be a democratic decision who can enter our democratic societies', said Frederikse. Chancellor Merz praised the migration policy of Denmark, saying 'What Denmark has achieved in recent years is truly exemplary and together we are also moving towards new and stricter asylum rules in the European Union.' Regarding the repatriation of migrants, Merz said noted that, if necessary, 'there will also be corresponding changes to the legal basis'. Merz and Frederiksen also spoke about the highly volatile and unstable global trade environment, exacerbated by US President Donald Trump's global tariffs, which have spiralled stock markets internationally. The German leader welcomed the announcement of a new US-China trade deal, after the two nations agreed on a framework of a new deal to ease tensions and resolve trade disputes. 'I therefore welcome the fact that there has been such an agreement between America and China, and I very much hope that we will succeed in reaching similar agreements with America, for example regarding tariffs, in the near future,' said Merz. The pair also discussed the ongoing threat to Greenland, after Trump renewed his interest in 'taking ownership' of the arctic island; an overseas territory of Denmark. "The principle of the inviolability of borders is enshrined in international law and is not up for discussion,' said Merz. 'We stand closely by our Danish friends on these issues and will continue to do so.' Frederiksen once again shot down Trump's remarks, insisting that Greenland is not for sale and its sovereignty is non-negotiable. "Sovereignty of states, the territorial integrity, and by the way the future of Greenland can only be decided in Greenland by the Greenlandic people." She added that she thought Trump was "serious" when it comes to Greenland "and I have to say that so are we." VivaTech opened its doors this Wednesday in Paris, marking the start of Europe's most important tech and startup annual event. With more than 165,000 expected visitors and nearly 14,000 startups from over 50 countries, the ninth edition of the event is set to be the biggest yet. Just like last year, artificial intelligence (AI) is the star of the show. But this time, some of the most attention-grabbing innovations are those applying AI and tech to health care and mental well-being. 'Artificial intelligence is moving from science fiction to real-life application. And visitors will discover with the more than 13,000 start-ups what it is going to mean for business, for our everyday lives and our democracies," said François Bitouzet, Director General of VivaTech. There is a geopolitical context that is incredible in which tech and AI play a role, and we will analyse this during the next four days," he told Euronews. In a year marked by increasing geopolitical tensions and debates around technological sovereignty, Europe is looking to assert itself as a key player in AI innovation. But the tech fair also serves as a platform to explore how this technology can help address deeply human challenges. One such example is Emobot, a French startup developing an AI-powered tool that helps monitor mood disorders through a patient's facial expressions and voice. 'It's an app that is installed on the phone and on the computer. We analyse facial expressions every second while the patient uses their phone throughout the day," explained Antony Perzo, co-founder and CTO of Emobot. "We also analyse their voice. Then, we aggregate this data to monitor for symptoms of depression. All this data, we put it together and then make a dashboard for the doctor that allows them to follow the evolution of the mood disorder symptoms," he told Euronews. All this information is combined to generate a dashboard for doctors, allowing them to track the evolution of symptoms remotely. 'Psychiatry is one of the few disciplines where we can't visualise disorders. In other areas of medicine, we have MRIs or imaging tools. We wanted to create the first device capable of tracking and visualising mood symptoms over time. Think of it as a sort of thermometer for mental health', he said. Another mental health startup, AMOI, blends neuroscience with perfume to shift a person's mood in just minutes. Whether you're looking for focus, calm, energy or joy, AMOI claims its neuro-fragrances can deliver results within five minutes. With more than one in four people reporting feeling mentally unwell, AMOI's founder Pascale Fontaine, says her project is about offering accessible and enjoyable tools for emotional well-being. VivaTech runs until 14 June at the Porte de Versailles exhibition centre in Paris.


France 24
2 hours ago
- France 24
Trump orders US personnel out of 'dangerous' Middle East as Iran tensions escalate
President Donald Trump said US personnel were being moved from the potentially "dangerous" Middle East on Wednesday as nuclear talks with Iran faltered and fears grew of a regional conflict. Trump also reiterated that he would not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon, amid mounting speculation that Israel could strike Tehran's facilities. Iran threatened Wednesday to target US military bases in the region if conflict breaks out. A US official had earlier said that staff levels at the embassy in Iraq were being reduced over security concerns, while there were reports that personnel were also being moved from Kuwait and Bahrain. "Well they are being moved out because it could be a dangerous place," Trump told reporters in Washington when asked about the reports of personnel being moved. "We've given notice to move out and we'll see what happens." Trump then added: "They can't have a nuclear weapon, very simple. We're not going to allow that." Tehran and Washington have held five rounds of talks since April to thrash out a new nuclear deal to replace the 2015 accord that Trump abandoned during his first term in 2018. The two sides were due to meet again in coming days. Trump had until recently expressed optimism about the talks, but said in an interview published Wednesday that he was "less confident" about reaching a nuclear deal. Since returning to office in January, Trump has revived his "maximum pressure" campaign on Tehran, backing nuclear diplomacy but warning of military action if it fails. The US president says he has pressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to hold off striking Iran's nuclear facilities to give the talks a chance, but has increasingly signaled that he is losing patience. Iran however warned it would respond to any attack. "All its bases are within our reach, we have access to them, and without hesitation we will target all of them in the host countries," Iran's Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh said in response to US threats of military action if the talks fail. 'Suffer more losses' "God willing, things won't reach that point, and the talks will succeed," the minister said, adding that the US side "will suffer more losses" if it came to conflict. The United States has multiple bases in the Middle East, with the largest located in Qatar. In January 2020, Iran fired missiles at bases in Iraq housing American troops in retaliation for the US strike that killed top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani days before at the Baghdad airport. Dozens of US soldiers suffered traumatic brain injuries. Amid the escalating tensions, the UK Maritime Trade Operations, run by the British navy, also advised ships to transit the Gulf with caution. Iran and the United States have recently been locked in a diplomatic standoff over Iran's uranium enrichment, with Tehran defending it as a "non-negotiable" right and Washington calling it a "red line." Iran currently enriches uranium to 60 percent, far above the 3.67-percent limit set in the 2015 deal and close though still short of the 90 percent needed for a nuclear warhead. Western countries have long accused Iran of seeking to acquire atomic weapons, while Tehran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. Last week, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said enrichment is "key" to Iran's nuclear program and that Washington "cannot have a say" on the issue. During an interview with the New York Post's podcast "Pod Force One," which was recorded on Monday, Trump said he was losing hope a deal could be reached. "I don't know. I did think so, and I'm getting more and more -- less confident about it. They seem to be delaying and I think that's a shame. I am less confident now than I would have been a couple of months ago," he said. Iran has said it will present a counter-proposal to the latest draft from Washington, which it had criticised for failing to offer relief from sanctions -- a key demand for Tehran, which has been reeling under their weight for years.