Port Fees, Trade Wars & the Future of Global Shipping: What U.S. Tariffs on Chinese Ships Really Mean
In this follow-up to episode 36 of the ShorelineHudson Maritime Risk Podcast, Captain Thomas Brown is joined again by U.S. trade policy expert Andrew Baskin to unpack the now-finalized U.S. port fee regime targeting Chinese-linked vessels.
With tariffs topping $1 million per voyage in some cases, strategic exemptions, and geopolitical backlash brewing in Beijing, we explore how this policy is already reshaping vessel operations, trade alliances, asset values — and possibly the future of American shipbuilding.
From rerouted cargo to retaliatory threats, this episode dives deep into the policy’s impact and the unintended consequences for shippers, carriers, and global trade at large.
About the contributors
Andrew Baskin Vice President, Global Policy and Trade – ShorelineHudson
Andrew Baskin serves as Vice President, Global Policy and Trade at ShorelineHudson, where he leads the firm’s Port and Trade Modernization and Digitalization Practice and oversees regional engagement across the Americas. He advises clients on maritime and port policy, directing initiatives focused on digitalization, legislative and regulatory reform, operational resilience, environmental governance, and supply chain security.
Mr. Baskin has served as lead advisor or expert team lead on strategic trade and transportation projects in the United States, Barbados, Belize, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Jamaica, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Prior to joining ShorelineHudson, he held senior roles at the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD), where he led the agency’s international engagement across the Western Hemisphere and Europe. He also represented the U.S. government at the Inter-American Committee on Ports (CIP) of the Organization of American States, where he chaired the Technical Advisory Committee on Port Security and served on the Executive Committee.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Baskin was a Senior Trade Specialist at an international trade consulting firm, conducting feasibility studies for logistics and trade facilitation initiatives in Panama, Colombia, and El Salvador.
He holds a Juris Doctor from George Mason University School of Law, a Master’s in International Commerce and Policy from George Mason’s School of Public Policy, and a Bachelor’s degree in Government and Spanish from the College of William & Mary.
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