U.S. ships built in China exempt from new port fees

U.S. cargo ships built in China won’t have to pay new fees to dock in that country.

While the U.S. and China began collecting the reciprocal charges Tuesday, state broadcaster CCTV said American-flagged, owned, and operated ships built in China would be exempt from the fees, Reuters reported.

The trade partners are charging vessels around $50 per net ton on each voyage calling the other’s ports, as relations have deteriorated over the past two weeks.

Matson (NYSE: MATX) and APL, a unit of France’s CMA CGM, operate China-built ships under the U.S. flag.