St. Lawrence Ship Operators call on the Government of Canada to respond to new barriers to marine trade imposed by the Trump administration

[Press release] Quebec City, April 10, 2025 – St. Lawrence Ship Operators is expressing deep concern following the executive order signed yesterday by President Donald J. Trump, entitled Restoring America's Maritime Dominance. The order directly threatens the viability of regional marine trade between Canada and the United States by potentially imposing punitive fees on vessels that are essential to North American supply chains.

"This is even worse than tariffs. These new measures could increase transportation costs by 300 to 1,000 percent, making regional trade uncompetitive and threatening thousands of jobs on both sides of the border," said Guillaum Dubreuil, Chair of the Board of Directors of St. Lawrence Ship Operators. "This is a direct attack that will lead to job losses and higher prices for goods in both Canada and the United States."

The proposed port fees target China's shipbuilding industry by imposing charges on any Chinese-built vessel calling at a U.S. port. However, nearly 45% of Canada's commercial fleet was built in China at a time when this represented the only economically viable option. Today, these vessels are essential for transporting bulk commodities, construction materials, road salt, grain, and industrial goods throughout the St. Lawrence, the Great Lakes, and the Atlantic coast.

By indiscriminately targeting all Chinese-built vessels—even those operating exclusively within a few hundred nautical miles as part of vital regional trade—the executive order risks penalizing allies rather than competitors.

St. Lawrence Ship Operators is urgently calling on the Government of Canada to protect regional trade by acting immediately and decisively to secure a formal exemption for all vessels operating within a 2,000-nautical-mile radius, as proposed in the Association's official submissions to the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR).

"At the height of the shipping season, this measure could disrupt the movement of essential materials and increase costs for consumers and industry alike. As we saw during the St. Lawrence Seaway strike, it is ultimately citizens who stand to feel the greatest impact," said Saul Polo, President and Chief Executive Officer of St. Lawrence Ship Operators.