Make America Build Ships Again?

What are the implications of USTR for the tanker market? On March 28, we wrote a Tanker Opinion (“It’s Complicated”) about the proposed actions of the Office of the United States Trade Representative (“USTR”) to address China’s alleged “dominance in the global maritime, logistics and shipbuilding sectors”. Following a period of consultation and a two-day public hearing, the USTR published a revised notice on April 17, with actions that will be implemented in October 2025, after a 180-day grace period. The revised notice differs substantially from the initial proposals, in part to address objections raised during the consultation period. In this week’s Tanker Opinion, we’ll address the changes and the implications for the tanker market. Please note that Poten & Partners will host a webinar on this topic on Wednesday, April 30, entitled “Confusion Surrounds Shipping Rules Intended to Boost U.S. Shipbuilding”. You can sign up for the webinar here. Please fill in below form to continue read.