Chinese operators COSCO SHIPPING LINES and OOCL affirmed this week that they remained committed to serving the US market despite the advent of huge fees for both the country? operators and Chinese -built ships calling at the US from October 14.
COSCO SHIPPING said it was committed to maintaining s capacity deployment to the US: ?hile the port service fees may pose certain operational challenges, COSCO SHIPPING Lines remains confident in our ability to ensure s and reliable services in the United States.
We will maintain competitive rates and surges, along with related policies that align with market conditions.?OOCL, sister company to COSCO SHIPPING in the COSCO Group, also put out a statement confirming that, as a Hong Kong-based company, it would fall within the scope of the regulation. It did not offer further details but said its future in the US was ?irm? ?e will remain steadfast in protecting our customers?interests and providing a comprehensive range of depable services under the OOCL brand.?Though carriers are so far prepared to bear the costs of the regulation, and have not announced related fees, the regulation is set to become more expensive each year, from an initial USD 1 M - USD 2.7 M to USD 1.9 M - USD 7.4 M by 2028, putting that practice into question.
