00:00The Caribbean private sector is pushing for greater certainty over shipping costs as regional business organizations call for permanent exemptions
00:09from the United States' maritime fees.
00:12The CARICOM private sector organization and the CPSO U.S. Business Council have submitted joint comments to the Office of
00:21the United States Trade Representative supporting a further two-month suspension of Section 301 maritime fees.
00:29The proposed extension would run from November 10 to January 9, 2027, following the expiry of the current suspension on
00:39November 9.
00:40But the organizations say a temporary extension is not enough.
00:44Dr. Patrick Antwine says, quote,
00:47The exemptions have kept Caribbean shelves stocked, kept U.S. goods competitive in their nearest export market, and spared hurricane
00:55-struck islands an added cost in their hour of need, end quote.
00:59The organizations are asking the United States to preserve the existing exemptions and make them permanent, arguing that the region
01:07depends heavily on maritime transport to move goods.
01:10More than 90 percent of CARICOM's goods trade moves by sea with no road, rail, or pipeline alternatives.
01:17The CPSO represents more than 6,250 firms across the Caribbean community.
01:23The organizations warned that under the original fee proposal, freight costs on Caribbean routes could have increased by 50 to
01:3160 percent, potentially leading to higher consumer prices and losses for regional and American producers.
01:38The exemptions cover certain vessels, including short-sea shipping services traveling less than 2,000 nautical miles to continental United
01:47States ports, as well as specified container ships and other vessels within established capacity limits.
01:54The CPSO says the exemptions have helped maintain shipping services to the region since they were adopted in April 2025,
02:03with no liner service to a CARICOM port withdrawn and no surcharge imposed on Caribbean trade.
02:10The organizations also point to the importance of these shipping routes during emergencies, noting that Jamaica received food, relief supplies,
02:18and building materials from Florida following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa.
02:23In 2025, two-way goods trade between the United States and CARICOM reached US$30.1 billion, according to the
02:32release.
02:33The private sector organizations say making the exemptions permanent would provide the certainty carriers, importers, and exporters need to plan
02:42ahead, rather than depend on repeated extensions.
02:46Urvashit Wari Rupnarein, TV6 News.
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