Containership owners would take a direct hit if the US expanded tariffs to all Chinese imports, prominent shipping experts have warned.

US President Donald Trump has already imposed a 25% levy on $250bn of Chinese-made imports. Speaking in Ireland this week, he said he was considering slapping tariffs on a further $300bn-worth of Chinese goods coming into the US.

That could put a serious damper on boxship ­demand, causing a drop of up to 6% in US-bound goods — but it is almost impossible to know for sure what would ­happen, Simon Heaney, senior manager of container research at Drewry Shipping Consultants, said.