International maritime transport is facing a new potential shock, this time sparked by a proposal from the US administration aimed directly at Chinese-built vessels, which could face heavy sanctions at American ports. A clear warning has come from Andrew Abbott, president and chief executive officer of Atlantic Container Line, a company under the Grimaldi Group. US media report that Abbott stated that if the proposed port tariffs are implemented—potentially imposing a fee of up to one million dollars per entry—the company may be forced to cease operations in the United States.
For Acl, which operates five vessels each with a capacity of 3,800 TEUs—all built in China between 2015 and 2016—the introduction of such a tariff would be unsustainable. The company would be compelled to close its US offices and lay off staff based on American soil. Abbott provided concrete examples: current container freight rates from the United States to Europe, which are around 500 dollars for a 40-foot unit, could rise to about 2,500 dollars—a 500% increase. Import costs from European ports would also surge, with an estimated increase of 80%.
Abbott added that these cost hikes would not be absorbed by shipping companies but passed directly onto customers and businesses, with potentially devastating effects on supply chains that have already been strained in recent years. Moreover, this measure could trigger a full-scale logistics crisis, as a sudden global fleet reshuffling would occur. Vessels not built in China would be redirected to US routes, while those affected by the new tariff would be forced to exit the North American market. The outcome would be a sharp spike in maritime freight rates, potentially surpassing the record increases seen during the Covid-19 pandemic, with serious repercussions for the US economy.
The Acl president also questioned the strategic efficacy of the proposed measure. In his view, excluding Chinese-built ships from the US market would not revitalise American shipbuilding, but rather benefit other Asian manufacturers such as South Korea, Japan and Taiwan, who are already well-established players on the global stage. “The only result will be a reshuffling of the market, not the growth of the US shipbuilding industry,” Abbott emphasised, describing the initiative as a systemic risk not only for shipping companies but also for American exporters and importers.
It is worth noting that, at present, this remains a proposal and has not yet come into force. Abbott’s comments represent a clear pre-emptive stance, aimed at raising awareness among the public and authorities about the potential dangers of a political decision with far-reaching implications. Nevertheless, the mere fact that a major player such as Acl is threatening a complete withdrawal from the US market is, in itself, a troubling sign for the entire sector. The debate is now open, and in the coming months, it will be crucial to observe the actions of the US administration and any responses from trade associations and industry stakeholders.
Acl, owned by the Italian Grimaldi Group, is headquartered operationally in New Jersey and stands out for not being part of any of the major global alliances among shipping lines. The company operates a regular service—called Acl A—connecting the ports of New York, Baltimore, Norfolk, Halifax, Liverpool, Antwerp and Hamburg, using hybrid container/ro-ro vessels.
