According to a German Institute for Economic Research study seen on Wednesday, Germany's?exports?to the United States could increase?by 2% in comparison to a scenario where there are no fees.

According to the study, this is because German 'freight fleets' rely on Chinese-built ships less than some of their 'competitors. This allows German exporters gain market share.

The U.S. The?U.S. The fees would be based not on the goods carried by a ship, but where it was built.

DIW estimated that the U.S. exports and imports would drop?by 0.2% each.

Sonali Chowdhry, DIW economist, said: "The mechanism is very simple." The fees increase the cost of intermediate inputs. U.S. manufacturers are less competitive, and a weaker economy also affects demand for foreign goods.

Finland, Denmark, and Poland are the hardest hit within the EU. Exports to the U.S. will fall by 5,0%, 4,4%, and 3.0% respectively.

South Korea's exports could increase by 2%, but those of emerging economies such as Costa Rica, Vietnam, and Pakistan may see their U.S.-bound goods plummet nearly 9%. Reporting by Rene Wagner, Maria Martinez and Linda Pasquini.

(source: Reuters)