The Caircom Private Sector Organisation (CPSO) is calling for permanent exemptions from US maritime service fees for Caribbean shipping, warning that any lapse could increase freight costs and disrupt the movement of goods across the region.
In a news release sent yesterday, the CPSO disclosed that it and the CPSO-US Business Council (CPSO-USBC) had filed joint comments with the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), supporting a proposed two-month extension of the suspension of the Section 301 maritime fees.
The fees took effect on October 14, 2025, but their application to Caribbean short-sea shipping was suspended for one year from November 10, 2025. That suspension expires on November 9. The USTR has proposed extending it from November 10, to January 9, 2027.
