Shipping faces yet another geopolitical shockwave as US strikes at Chinese shipbuilding
- Container shipping market is expected to bear the brunt, with another disruption-led freight market surge possible
- Last year, China-built boxships, bulk carriers, oil tankers and LPG carriers each accounted for a double-digit percentage of their respective categories among commercial vessels calling at US ports
- The plan may serve as a bargaining chip in broader US-China trade negotiations, leaving its final implementation uncertain
USTR’s proposal goes far beyond the unions’ initial demands and could significantly disrupt global shipping and drive up costs