Commercial sector lawmaker Jeffrey Lam on Saturday said some shippers could consider using South American ports as an alternative to US ports.

Lam made the remarks after Washington on Thursday said it would impose port fees on vessels owned, operated, or built by Chinese companies.

"There are a lot of deep sea ports, they are all natural ports - 15-to-16 metres straight down. It is very convenient. But we also have to build the inland infrastructure, such as highways and rail, to connect to different countries," he told reporters after appearing on a Commercial Radio programme.

Speaking on the programme, Lam said the move harms others and has no benefit, saying shippers and consumers would have to shoulder the additional costs.