The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has pushed back deadlines in two Section 301 matters: the Section 301 actions on China’s maritime and shipbuilding sectors, and its investigation of Vietnam’s intellectual property (IP) practices.

China Port Fees and Crane Duties: Paused Through January 9

USTR has extended the suspension of the Section 301 port fees on Chinese-linked vessels and the extra duties on Chinese ship-to-shore cranes and other cargo handling equipment. The pause, which was set to end November 9, 2026, now runs through 11:59 p.m. ET on January 9, 2027.

  • No fees or duties for now: During the pause, no one owes the port fees or the added duties on that equipment.  The potential additional fees or duties associated with this order are not yet known. 
  • A shorter extension than last time:This extension is two months, while the original pause lasted a full year. USTR says talks with China are still ongoing.
  • What could happen next:Before January 10, USTR could extend the pause again or let the fees and duties take effect. Some public comments urged USTR to handle the equipment duties separately from the port fees, so the two could end up on different timelines.
Vietnam IP Investigation: Decision Now Due by February 28

USTR opened a Section 301 investigation into Vietnam’s IP protection and enforcement on May 29, 2026. It has now given itself three more months to decide, citing the complexity of the issues. A decision on whether to act, and what action to take, is now due by February 28, 2027. No tariffs or other actions on Vietnamese goods have been announced.

What Importers Should Do Now

  • Treat January 10 as a real deadline. If you ship on carriers serving China or import cargo handling equipment from China, plan for the fees and duties to return. Don’t count on another extension.
  • Check your contracts. Review service contracts, bills of lading and purchase agreements to see who would pay if port fees or equipment duties are passed through.
  • Watch your Vietnam exposure. If you source from Vietnam, start mapping which products and suppliers could be affected if USTR takes action in February.

As always, Shapiro will continue to monitor the situation and keep you apprised of any updates!