The main Chinese ports started clearing on Monday July 9th the goods that had been imported from the US but whose status when it came to the new tariffs was unclear, reported Reuters, citing three unnamed sources.
Customs officers the previous Friday had delayed clearing some US goods as they waited official instructions on whether they should start collecting the new ‘retaliatory’ import tariffs.
Customs at the port of Qingdao have now let through products from the US that they held up on Friday. The new higher tariffs have been imposed.
Shanghai customs had also started collecting the new tariffs as of Monday.
Customs officers at the port of Dalian, where Liberian-flagged, 43,005 gt cargo ship Peak Pegasus (IMO 9634830) was anchored with 70,000 tonnes of US soybeans, updated their tariffs to the new levels. Peak Pegasus caused interest on Chinese social media as it attempted to reach China before the tariffs started on Friday. It remained berthed at Dalian and fully laden as of Monday afternoon, according to Eikon data. It was unclear whether the soybean cargo, which did not arrive until after the penalties took effect, would pay the 25% higher tariff.
Peak Pegasus is owned by Defender 16 Ltd care of manager Peak Project Carriers AS of Nyborg, Norway. ISM manager is OSM Ship management Pte Ltd. It is entered with Gard Assuranceforeningen Gard – gjensidig – on behalf of Defender 16 Ltd.