shipper

The only time that aid agencies and commercial shippers were able to get in adequate supplies was during the ceasefire that started on 19 January this year.

With the necessary documentation, shippers will pay duties based on the country of origin's tariff rate.

The White House said ending the duty-free exemption would combat "escalating deceptive shipping practices, illegal material, and duty circumvention", claiming some shippers had "abused" the exemption to send illicit drugs into the US.

It also said some shippers were circumventing duties by falsely reporting the country of origin for goods entering the US.

That forced shippers to look elsewhere and many of them alighted on Thailand and other countries in south-east Asia.