The Federal Maritime Commission of the United States on 14 October 2026 proposed imposing a flat levy of US$200,000 per voyage on Spanish-flagged ships and, at the same time, restricting imports of certain goods from Spain to be restricted. The draft was published in the Federal Register for public consultation; the deadline for submissions is 14 December 2026.
The Commission justifies its proposal by stating that there are “conditions that are unfavourable to the foreign trade of the United States”. The investigation follows reports dating from late 2024 of individual US-flagged ships being denied access to Spanish ports. According to the agency, the proposed measures are intended to safeguard the competitive position of US shipowners and ensure unimpeded access to foreign ports.
Alongside the levy on Spanish-flagged ships, the announcement lists product groups that could be particularly affected by import restrictions. At the four-digit level of the Harmonized System, it identifies, among others, olive oil as well as ceramic tiles as significant categories in bilateral trade in goods. In its published rationale, the Commission cites recent US import figures to demonstrate the economic relevance of these categories. Other areas mentioned include parts of the food, cosmetics and chemical industries.
The measures are not yet final. The Federal Maritime Commission has invited Spain to a public hearing to receive counterarguments and technical submissions. Only after reviewing the submissions received could the agency make a final decision and adopt the rules in amended or unchanged form.
Since publication, Spanish business associations and industry media have been discussing possible effects on exporters, shipping companies and port locations. At first, no official statements by the Spanish government on possible countermeasures had appeared in officially published documents. In the view of trade experts, the nature and scale of the effects will depend significantly on how narrowly the final list of affected product groups is drawn up and whether the flat levy on Spanish-flagged ships remains unchanged.
The timeline is clear: the notice was published on 14 October 2026, and the consultation ends on 14 December 2026. Until then, affected companies and institutions in Spain and the United States can submit comments. A final decision by the Federal Maritime Commission would be expected only after that.
Editor: Daniel Mayer (Article created with AI assistance).