The U.S. Commerce Department is proposing Section 232 duties on 14 additional steel, aluminum and copper derivatives, ranging from brass wind instruments and floor safes to tanker trailers and semi-trailers.
The agency proposes a 25% tariff on most of the goods, with the exception of agricultural and industrial equipment and steel containers holding liquefied propane, oxygen and propene, according to a Federal Register document posted Thursday.
Self-loading and self-unloading trailers for agricultural purposes would be subject to a 15% tariff, while rates for self-propelled cranes, mobile lifting frames and straddle carriers would vary based on country of origin and how the goods were manufactured. Steel containers, not the chemicals inside, would face a 50% duty.
The department is seeking public comment on the proposal through the agency’s federal rulemaking portal. Submissions must be received by Aug. 27.
More steel, aluminum and copper products could face tariffs
The Commerce Department's plan stems from a series of Trump administration actions on steel, aluminum, copper and their derivatives.
In April, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation imposing a 50% tariff on goods made almost entirely of aluminum, steel or copper, including steel coils and aluminum sheets. Derivative articles “substantially made” of those metals faced a 25% levy, including steel cooking appliances, silverware, diesel-engine trains and semi-trailer hauling trucks.
In June, Trump signed another proclamation that cut the rate on certain agricultural and industrial goods. Combines and harvesters, for example, faced a 15% tariff, down from 25% set in April. The lower duty also applied to certain HVAC systems and components.
Most recently, the U.S. expanded the list of goods subject to Section 232 steel and aluminum tariffs. As part of the expansion, Customs and Border Protection bulletins listed the Harmonized Tariff Schedule codes for hundreds of products that faced 50% tariffs on entry into the U.S.
