Lest we forget, port fees are back in the news again. The US Trade Representative is requesting public comments through July 7th with regards to the Section 301 investigation into China’s maritime dominance. Beginning October 14, Chinese-owned ships will pay escalating fees per net ton, while other vessels built in China will pay higher container- or tonnage-based rates, increasing annually through 2028. The fee starts at $50 per net ton and will go up to $140. The move follows an earlier...

By Ryan Last, Daniel N. Anziska, Daniel Gorman, Charlene C. Goldfield, and Luke LoFrumento*, Troutman Pepper Locke On May 28, the U.S. Court of International Trade ruled that the tariffs imposed by President Trump under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) were unlawful. In the case of V.O.S. v. United States, the court found that IEEPA does not delegate such broad tariff powers to the president and that the tariffs addressing illegal migration and illicit drug flows “do not deal...

The Red Sea crisis has forced most new container capacity to be deployed on extended Asia-Europe routes via the Cape of Good Hope. Since May 2024, 2.62 million TEU have been added globally, with 31% of that allocated to Asia-Europe, boosting capacity there by over 40% between 2023 and 2025. This is equivalent to almost 25% of the global fleet trading there, making it the largest shipping lane for the liner fleet. In comparison, The Asia-North America fleet had an annual...

By Noa Sussman, Director of Global Solutions, TECEX In today’s global economy, trade taxes and trade compliance are no longer background functions. VAT, duties, tariffs, and duty drawbacks have moved from the margins of regulatory oversight to the center of strategic decision-making. As explored in the first two articles of this series, these tools are now shaping how companies’ source, price, and scale across borders. But understanding the mechanics is only the beginning. The real challenge — and opportunity — lies in how companies...

Last week a US Trade Court (CIT) blocked many of President Trump’s new tariffs only for them to be quickly reinstated and the legal battle only starting. The bottom line for importers right now is that IEEPA tariffs remain in effect. The CAFC’s stay pauses enforcement of the CIT’s ruling while longer-term legal review continues. More importantly, importers will continue paying the tariffs. With two courts asserting jurisdiction over the matter, final authority (whether CIT or the District Court) remains undecided and will...

By Ian Hunter, Director, OCO Global What just happened? On 28 May, the US Court of International Trade (CIT) issued a permanent injunction blocking President Trump’s recently imposed “Liberation Day” tariffs – a 10% across-the-board levy on all imported goods and higher “reciprocal” rates for specific trading partners. The court ruled that the administration had exceeded its authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). In clear terms, the judges reaffirmed that Congress – not the White House – controls taxation on imports. Importantly, this ruling did not impact sector-specific tariffs previously...

IMPORTANT TARIFF UPDATE - (5/29) The Court of International Trade has issued a joint decision, ruling that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not authorize many of the new tariffs imposed by way of executive order. As a result, on May 28 the Court ordered that the directives imposing these tariffs be vacated and permanently enjoined. The court has issued a permanent injunction which means the tariffs cannot be collected or enforced unless the ruling is stayed or reversed....