US Customs will now track ship taxes by the government's fiscal year, not each ship's arrival

US Customs and Border Protection changed how it calculates tonnage taxes for vessels. Instead of a unique tax year for each ship, the tax year will now align with the federal government's fiscal year, and payments will be electronic.

For decades, every ship entering US waters had its own unique tax calendar, starting from its first arrival. This created a complex, error-prone system for both ship operators and the government. Now, all ships will operate on the same tax schedule, simplifying compliance and enforcement.