# US Port Fees on Car Carriers: Supplier Risk > Grimaldi warns US port fees could push foreign-built vehicle carriers out of American trades. What chandlers, agents and yards should do before a redeployment. URL: https://vesselreach.si/blog/us-port-fees-on-car-carriers-supplier-risk | Published: 2026-10-31 | Updated: 2026-11-01 | Industry news | Topic: Carrier service and surcharge changes ## At a glance - **What: What did Grimaldi warn about?** Grimaldi Group warned that reinstating US port fees on foreign-built vehicle carriers could force it to redeploy vessels away from American trades, potentially disrupting shipping services. ([gCaptain](https://gcaptain.com/grimaldi-warns-u-s-port-fees-could-force-ships-out-of-american-trades/)) - **Who: Who issued the warning?** Italian shipping giant Grimaldi Group, which operates vehicle carriers and other tonnage and is concerned about the effect of US port fees on its American trades. ([gCaptain](https://gcaptain.com/grimaldi-warns-u-s-port-fees-could-force-ships-out-of-american-trades/)) - **Where: Where would the impact be felt?** In US trades served by foreign-built vehicle carriers, where reinstated port fees could make American port calls uneconomic for operators such as Grimaldi. ([gCaptain](https://gcaptain.com/grimaldi-warns-u-s-port-fees-could-force-ships-out-of-american-trades/)) - **When: When was the warning reported?** gCaptain reported the Grimaldi warning on 30 October 2026, as US port policy continued to develop with the approval of the Texas ST LNG export port application. ([gCaptain](https://gcaptain.com/grimaldi-warns-u-s-port-fees-could-force-ships-out-of-american-trades/)) - **How: How is US port policy changing?** MARAD approved the $8.2 billion Texas ST LNG export port application in October 2026, the fastest deepwater port licence review in more than 20 years, according to gCaptain. ([gCaptain](https://gcaptain.com/how-marad-cut-years-off-deepwater-port-reviews-without-changing-environmental-standards/)) Grimaldi Group has warned that reinstating US port fees on foreign-built vehicle carriers could force it to redeploy vessels away from American trades, according to [gCaptain](https://gcaptain.com/grimaldi-warns-u-s-port-fees-could-force-ships-out-of-american-trades/) (30 October 2026). For any supplier whose revenue depends on car-carrier calls, that is a port-call planning signal, not a distant policy debate. ## What happened The Italian operator said the fees could disrupt shipping services if they return, gCaptain reported on 30 October 2026. The warning lands as US port policy continues to shift. In the same week, the Maritime Administration approved the $8.2 billion Texas ST LNG export port application, the fastest deepwater port licence review in more than 20 years, according to [gCaptain](https://gcaptain.com/how-marad-cut-years-off-deepwater-port-reviews-without-changing-environmental-standards/) (30 October 2026). Trade patterns are also moving. CMA CGM is consolidating its East African position with a new service launch, [The Maritime Executive](https://maritime-executive.com/article/cma-cgm-seeks-to-consolidate-position-in-east-african-market) reported on 30 October 2026. Carriers rebalance networks when costs or demand change, and vehicle carriers are no exception. ## Why vehicle carriers are exposed A PCTC (Pure Car and Truck Carrier, a ship built to carry cars and rolling cargo) calls at a small number of dedicated terminals. Each call brings a concentrated package of work: lashing checks, hull cleaning, fresh water, provisions for the crew, and often repairs. Lose one PCTC string and a port loses several calls a month. That concentration cuts both ways. A single new PCTC service can lift demand for a terminal and its suppliers quickly. Operators decide where to deploy based on total voyage cost, and port fees sit directly in that calculation. ## What it means for maritime service providers Treat the Grimaldi warning as a prompt to check exposure, not a reason to panic. The commercial effects differ by segment. - **Ship chandlers:** a redeployed PCTC removes a predictable basket of stores. If several car carriers leave a US port, the lost volume rarely returns within the same contract year. - **[Port agents](https://vesselreach.si/blog/demurrage-vs-detention-charges-and-free-time):** agency income follows the call. Fewer PCTC calls mean fewer PDA (pro forma disbursement account, the advance cost estimate an agent issues before a call) and less husbandry work. - **Bunker suppliers:** car carriers take relatively modest stems, but they take them regularly. Losing a string hurts the schedule more than any single stem. - **Repair yards:** vehicle carriers often combine a port call with planned maintenance. A redeployment can move that yard period to another region entirely. The broader lesson is that port-call volume is a network decision. Suppliers who track which operators serve which ports can see a string change before the first missed call. ## How to respond 1. **Map your car-carrier exposure.** List the PCTC operators calling at your ports and the share of your work each represents. 2. **Watch policy dates, not rumours.** Track official US port-fee decisions and any operator announcements about redeployment. 3. **Diversify the call mix.** Bulk carriers, tankers and container ships bring different buyers and different service needs. Our guide to [who buys at a port call by vessel type](https://vesselreach.si/blog/container-tanker-or-bulker-who-buys-at-the-port-call) explains the difference. 4. **Contact decision-makers before the ETA.** A technical superintendent (the shore manager responsible for a ship's machinery and repairs) often knows about a schedule change early. Reach them while the vessel is still scheduled, not after it fails to arrive. ## Market context: capital and trade are shifting Cost pressure is not the only force reshaping carrier networks. Capital is moving too. Capital Maritime Finance completed the first exclusive listing of a shipping company on the regulated market of Euronext Athens, with total demand reaching €1.1 billion, according to [Hellenic Shipping News](https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/capital-maritime-finance-historic-listing-on-euronext-athens-with-unprecedented-participation-from-retail-investors/) (21 October 2026). Equipment makers are adjusting as well. Everllence marked its centenary with MITSUI E&S as a two-stroke licensee, [The Maritime Executive](https://maritime-executive.com/article/everllence-celebrates-century-with-mitsui-e-s-as-two-stroke-licensee) reported on 13 October 2026. Engine and licence decisions shape which ships yards will service in the next decade. Security adds another variable. The ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre and Korea's Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries concluded a four-day capacity-building workshop on piracy and sea robbery in Asia, [The Maritime Executive](https://maritime-executive.com/article/recaap-isc-and-ministry-of-oceans-and-fisheries-co-organise-regional-capacity-building-workshop-to-strengthen-information-sharing-and-response-against-piracy-and-sea-robbery-in-asia) reported on 30 October 2026. Route risk influences where operators send ships, and therefore where suppliers find work. ## How VesselReach helps VesselReach turns vessel movements at your chosen ports into conversations with the companies that decide where ships go. When a PCTC string shifts, you can see the change early and act on it. - **Vessel intelligence:** VesselReach shows vessels near your ports and scheduled arrivals, which means you can contact decision-makers before the vessel arrives rather than after a call is cancelled. - **AI company targeting and decision-maker discovery:** the platform identifies the relevant company behind each vessel and finds roles such as technical superintendents and procurement managers, which means your outreach reaches the people who control the schedule. - **Multichannel outreach with AI enquiry handling:** email, WhatsApp and phone outreach run in stages, and AI answers routine enquiries from approved information, which means your team spends time on qualified opportunities instead of cold research. Book a VesselReach demo to see how the workflow fits your ports. ## Frequently asked questions ### What are the US port fees on foreign-built vehicle carriers? They are charges the United States has considered applying to vehicle carriers built outside the country. Grimaldi Group warned in October 2026 that reinstating them could force it to redeploy ships away from American trades. ([gCaptain](https://gcaptain.com/grimaldi-warns-u-s-port-fees-could-force-ships-out-of-american-trades/)) ### How can ship chandlers prepare for a car-carrier redeployment? Map which PCTC operators call at your ports, note how much of your work each represents, and build contacts with technical superintendents and procurement managers before schedules change. VesselReach helps by showing scheduled arrivals and the decision-makers behind each vessel. ### Why do vehicle carriers matter to port agents and repair yards? A PCTC call brings agency work, husbandry, lashing checks and often planned maintenance in one visit. Because car carriers use dedicated terminals and few ports, losing one string removes several calls a month rather than a single ship. ### What else is changing in US port policy? The Maritime Administration approved the $8.2 billion Texas ST LNG export port application in October 2026, the fastest deepwater port licence review in more than 20 years, according to gCaptain. ([gCaptain](https://gcaptain.com/how-marad-cut-years-off-deepwater-port-reviews-without-changing-environmental-standards/)) ### How can suppliers find work when a carrier changes its network? Track vessel arrivals and the companies behind them, then contact the right roles before the ETA. VesselReach combines vessel intelligence, company targeting and multichannel outreach so suppliers can reach new operators calling at their ports. ## Sources 1. [CMA CGM Seeks to Consolidate Position in East African Market](https://maritime-executive.com/article/cma-cgm-seeks-to-consolidate-position-in-east-african-market), The Maritime Executive, 2026-10-30 2. [How MARAD Cut Years Off Deepwater Port Reviews Without Changing Environmental Standards](https://gcaptain.com/how-marad-cut-years-off-deepwater-port-reviews-without-changing-environmental-standards/), gCaptain, 2026-10-30 3. [ReCAAP ISC and Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries Hold Anti-Piracy Workshop](https://maritime-executive.com/article/recaap-isc-and-ministry-of-oceans-and-fisheries-co-organise-regional-capacity-building-workshop-to-strengthen-information-sharing-and-response-against-piracy-and-sea-robbery-in-asia), The Maritime Executive, 2026-10-30 4. [Grimaldi Warns U.S. Port Fees Could Force Ships Out of American Trades](https://gcaptain.com/grimaldi-warns-u-s-port-fees-could-force-ships-out-of-american-trades/), gCaptain, 2026-10-30 5. [Capital Maritime Finance: Historic Listing on Euronext Athens, with Unprecedented Participation from Retail Investors](https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/capital-maritime-finance-historic-listing-on-euronext-athens-with-unprecedented-participation-from-retail-investors/), Hellenic Shipping News, 2026-10-21 6. [Everllence Celebrates Century with MITSUI E&S as Two-Stroke Licensee](https://maritime-executive.com/article/everllence-celebrates-century-with-mitsui-e-s-as-two-stroke-licensee), The Maritime Executive, 2026-10-13 ## More on this topic US port fees on foreign-built vehicle carriers could change which ports car carriers call at. Grimaldi Group warned in October 2026 that reinstating the fees could force it to redeploy ships away from American trades. For ship chandlers, port agents, bunker suppliers and repair yards, a PCTC string is a concentrated package of work, so losing one removes several calls a month. The practical response is to map your car-carrier exposure, watch official policy decisions, diversify your call mix and contact technical superintendents before the ETA. VesselReach helps by showing scheduled arrivals and the decision-makers behind each vessel. --- VesselReach, built by CatalystIQ. CatalystIQ Data Classification and Analysis Services, Al Qusais, Dubai, P.O. Box 129882, United Arab Emirates. info@catalystiq.ae, +971 58 599 7894. Book a demo: https://vesselreach.si/#demo. Pricing: contact us for a quote (https://vesselreach.si/pricing).