Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2026-07-28 Origin: Site
The United States has imposed a 12.5% 301 tariff on China on the grounds of so-called forced labor, which can be combined with previous rounds of tariffs on China and the 232 clause tariffs on steel and aluminum. Rotary drilling rigs and pile drivers are mainly made of steel structures, and the entire machine, supporting drill rods, and hydraulic accessories are all included in the taxation scope. This type of large-scale pile foundation equipment has a high single unit value and a large self weight volume, and the additional tariffs directly increase the total purchase price for the importer; Combined with the freight of ocean going heavy lift vessels, shipping insurance premiums, and miscellaneous fees for port customs clearance and inspection, the overall cross-border logistics expenses have significantly increased. Export companies either compress their own profits to maintain overseas orders, or raise equipment prices to lose market share in North America, putting pressure on both logistics and foreign trade. The mature pricing and shipping accounting system is forced to undergo a comprehensive adjustment.
The United States continues to pressure Mexico through the annual review of the USMCA, forcing the Mexican side to follow suit and impose high tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminum products, with the aim of building an exclusive North American trade circle and blocking the traditional logistics channel for domestic engineering equipment to enter the United States through tax-free transit in Mexico. Previously, many foreign trade enterprises dismantled the components of rotary drilling rigs and transported them to Mexico for simple assembly, relying on North American free trade rules to avoid high tariffs. Now, the origin audit standards have been significantly tightened, and simple assembly cannot enjoy preferential tax rates under the agreement. The transit customs clearance cycle has been extended, and the cost of document compliance has surged. Under pressure from the US, Mexico has gradually raised import tariffs on its mechanical and electrical products to China. The transit logistics model that radiates throughout North America through Mexico has basically become ineffective, and companies can only choose to directly fly to the US or turn to other overseas markets to expand their transportation capacity.
After the implementation of trade protection policies, the frequency of inspections for Chinese made construction machinery in US ports has comprehensively increased. Rotary drilling rigs are oversized and overweight goods, and the lifting and dismantling inspection process is cumbersome, which easily leads to ship delays and delays in shipping schedules. Due to policy risk considerations, international shipping companies have tightened the allocation of special heavy lift vessel space on the US route, reduced fixed sea freight schedules for large equipment, and increased the difficulty of booking. As a result, companies find it difficult to lock in long-term stable freight rates and transportation schedules. In adverse conditions, equipment that remains in overseas ports for a long time is prone to rusting and loss of precision hydraulic components when stored outdoors, resulting in additional costs for equipment maintenance and storage occupation, further disrupting the equipment entry and construction plan for overseas infrastructure projects.
The trade barriers in North America are increasing layer by layer, and the demand for orders on the US route continues to shrink. Logistics service providers are adjusting their capacity allocation and investing more heavy lift and roll on/roll off ship resources in emerging infrastructure markets such as Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and Africa. Export companies of rotary drilling rigs are synchronously following up and adjusting their overseas strategies to reduce dependence on the US market. They are deeply cultivating infrastructure projects along the China Europe and Indian Ocean routes, and logistics teams are planning multiple alternative routes in advance to mitigate transportation risks caused by policy fluctuations in a single region. The large-scale logistics solution that was originally suitable for short distance ocean transportation in North America has gradually been optimized, and long-distance cross ocean transportation and multi node transit stocking have become the mainstream operating mode in the industry.
The Chinese side clearly reserves the right to reciprocal countermeasures against tariffs. The economic and trade game between China and the United States will continue for a long time, and unilateral trade barriers will be difficult to resolve in the short term. Cross border logistics of large construction machinery will bid farewell to the low-cost and fast time globalization stage. The industry is gradually establishing a logistics system with pre compliance audits, staggered shipments in batches, and overseas pre warehouse stocking, to finely control the risks of tariffs, shipping, and customs clearance throughout the entire chain; At the same time, relying on multilateral trade rules to appeal against US violations, we will continue to improve the overseas logistics network of large-scale pile foundation equipment in the game, adapting to the increasingly fragmented global trade pattern.
