Importers racing to convert warehouses

A container ship sails off from a container terminal in Qingdao in eastern China’s Shandong province Sunday, April 6, 2025. (Chinatopix Via AP) LONDON/NEW YORK – Companies importing goods into the United States from China are rushing to convert warehouses into facilities that are exempt from President Donald Trump's tariffs until they are ready to sell the merchandise. The U.S. has more than 1,700 bonded warehouses, facilities where imported goods can be held without immediate payment of customs duties such as tariffs, currently 30% for shipments from China. Such fees are only paid when the goods leave the bonded warehouse,…