Urgent Action Needed:
Stop the $1 Million Port Fee –
Protect U.S. Coal Exports!
The United States Trade Representative (USTR) is considering a new $1 million port fee on ships —a move that could devastate American coal exports, kill thousands of jobs, and weaken our global energy position.
We need your voice! This proposed fee will make it nearly impossible for U.S. coal to compete in global markets, hurting workers, communities, and our nation’s economy. If you support American coal, take action now.
✅ Sign the Letter – Submit your response to the USTR using our pre-written letter.
✅ Protect U.S. Jobs – Coal supports over 400,000 direct and indirect jobs across the country.
✅ Defend Energy Security – Our global allies rely on U.S. coal to avoid dependence on hostile nations.
✅ Stop Unintended Consequences – The proposed policy will disrupt supply chains, increase costs, and hurt businesses.
📢 Submit Your Letter in Just 60 Seconds!
Use our simple form to add your name and send an official letter to the USTR. Every submission strengthens our case!
🚨 Deadline: March 24, 2025 – Act now before it’s too late!
📩 Fill out the form below and stand up for American coal.
Dear Ambassador Greer:
In response to a petition filed in 2024, the USTR published a notice in the Federal Register proposing to impose a service fee on operators of vessels constructed in China of up to $1 million for each time the vessels enter a U.S. port. If the service fee is finalized, it will have an immediate and adverse impact on coal production and employment throughout multiple coal producing regions and states.
Due to the historic assault on the United States coal industry and hostility from previous administrations towards coal-fired electric-generating units, the industry has gradually but necessarily shifted to the export market. This shift has helped sustain the industry and the coal economy in many of our coal states. Approximately 102.9 tons of high-quality thermal and metallurgical coal produced in the United States was exported in via American ports in 2024, representing nearly 20% of our nation’s overall coal output of 509.5 million tons. Global shipments of metallurgical coal, a critical component in the steelmaking process, accounted for 51% of that export volume last year with the remaining 49% of export volume derived from high-quality thermal coal for electricity generation and industrial uses. Furthermore, export volumes from the United States have gradually increased as countries around the world seek higher quality coals and fuel to grow their industrial base and replace fuels from adverse regimes, especially during times of conflict. Virtually all that export volume moves to its final destination by deepwater maritime vessel.
Given the widely acknowledged atrophy in shipbuilding capacity around the world, and in the United States , it is likely impossible for coal exporting companies to secure an adequate number of appropriately designed and sized vessels to avoid the proposed port fees. With no alternative vessel capacity available, imposition of the proposed port fees will most certainly price American coal out of the seaborne market. In addition to the significant and adverse consequences on American coal producers and tens of thousands of jobs that support the industry, limiting coal exports from the United States will also adversely impact our allies and global energy trading partners, as they are increasingly relying on coal from the United States to avoid energy-driven political entanglements with hostile nations.
Considerable planning, employment and operation considerations are necessary for efficient mine production, and in the case of metallurgical coal, air exposure impacts coking coal’s fluidity due to oxidation. As a result, the timing of shipments is of utmost importance. With that in mind, the mere threat from the publication of the proposed service fee in the Federal Register has already disrupted mine operations, shipping contracts, caused confusion, and has delayed coal shipment negotiations.
While the short-term effects of the proposed service fee are already being felt, we understand the motivation to balance trade agreements with our competitor countries. Nevertheless, roughly one-fifth of the nation’s 400,000 direct and indirect mining jobs are tied directly to the mining, processing and transportation of coal destined for export, and we encourage thorough review of this action and consideration of unintended consequences that could harm our mining companies.