American Samoa will get some relief from a Trump Administration port fee on China-built ships, but KHJ News Washington correspondent Matt Kaye reports that it is not yet the full exemption being sought.
The revised plan, now open for 30 days of public comment, replaces an earlier proposed $1.5 million per port call fee with a fee starting at $50 per net ton and increasing by $30 per ton annually over three years.
China-built ships owned by non-Chinese companies would pay $18 per net ton, with an annual increase of $5 per ton over three years.
The new proposal, with a tentative start date in mid-October, follows concerns that the earlier plan would make U.S. exports too expensive and could impose up to $30 billion in costs on U.S. consumers.
However, the latest plan does not fully exempt American Samoa from the fee, according to Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata’s office. Amata had advocated for a full exemption.
A spokesperson stated that the fee cap is “an improvement,” but noted that Amata continues to work on the issue and, given its importance to American Samoa, is paying “close attention” to further developments.
The Congresswoman said the initial proposal would have devastated the local economy by imposing at least a $1,000 per ton fee on two Chinese-built ships that service the territory.
Amata said she supports President Trump’s goal to renew U.S. shipbuilding but warned that the earlier plan could have cut off service to Pago Pago, triggered “terrible inflation,” and threatened jobs at the tuna cannery and among local suppliers.
She urged Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in writing to reconsider the approach and to exempt American Samoa until a more comprehensive plan is in place.
