US Suspends China Vessel Fees as Maritime Trade Tensions Ease; UK Strengthens Russia Sanctions Enforcement
Following trade negotiations between Presidents Trump and Xi, the US temporarily suspended Section 301 vessel fees on China-linked maritime assets for one year effective November 10. Meanwhile, UK issued comprehensive guidance on countering Russian sanctions evasion in shipping sectors, outlining common circumvention tactics.
US Suspends Vessel Fees Amid China Trade Negotiations
White House officials recently announced a one-year moratorium of vessel fees and investigations related to Section 301 investigations, beginning November 10, 2025. This decision follows trade negotiations held in Korea between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping wherein they reached agreements that aim at deescalating trade tensions.
The suspended measures had targeted China's practices in maritime, logistics and shipbuilding sectors that the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) determined were unreasonable and burdensome to US commerce. Vessel fees which affected both Chinese-made vessels as well as foreign made vehicle vessels took effect only recently - on October 14, 2025 to be precise - yet another White House fact sheet indicates that negotiations will continue under Section 301 while maintaining historic cooperation with Korea and Japan on revitalizing American shipbuilding industries.
China swiftly responded by lifting any measures it had imposed in response to the announcement of a Section 301 investigation, such as sanctions on various shipping entities and sanctions on various retaliatory measures taken in response. This marks an important shift in maritime trade policy; however, questions still exist as to potential refunds for fees collected since October 14.
UK Launches Sanctions Evasion Guidance for Shipping Sector
On November 10, the UK Government published cross-departmental guidance aimed at combatting Russian sanctions evasion, outlining persistent circumvention tactics and preventative measures for businesses. Published by the Department of Business and Trade's Office of Trade Sanctions Implementation (OTSI), this guidance listed complex trade routes, deceptive shipping practices and front companies as primary evasion mechanisms.
Freight, shipping and logistics industries were identified as being of particular high risk in this guidance document, calling upon companies to monitor for red flags such as vessel reflagging, falsified cargo documents or suspicious transshipment patterns that require increased attention from businesses. In addition, UK regulations emphasize robust internal compliance controls that should protect against violations in terms of enforcement consequences for violations.
This guidance represents the UK's coordinated enforcement approach, coordinated by OFSI and other regulatory bodies, which demonstrates its ongoing commitment to disrupting Russian sanctions circumvention networks in maritime environments.