Europe’s busiest container port, Antwerp-Bruges in Belgium, has transformed into an unintended storage site for thousands of vehicles stranded ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump’s planned 30% tariffs on EU imports. The Guardian reports that the port now resembles a "giant car park," with cars, vans, and trucks bound for the U.S. sitting idle as manufacturers brace for economic fallout.
Exports of new passenger cars and vans to the U.S. fell 15.9% year-on-year in the first half of 2025, according to port data. The decline accelerated in May, one month after Trump announced sweeping "Liberation Day" tariffs. U.S. duties on European vehicles have already surged from 2.5% to 27.5% since April, disrupting a trade corridor that saw over 3 million vehicles shipped globally from Antwerp-Bruges in 2024.
"The outlook remains uncertain," the port stated, emphasizing that outcomes hinge on whether EU-U.S. trade negotiations succeed before the August 1 deadline. Analysts warn the tariffs could reshape global supply chains, with European automakers exploring alternative markets to offset losses.
The EU has threatened countermeasures targeting $84 billion in U.S. goods if talks collapse, raising concerns of a prolonged transatlantic trade war. As vehicles pile up in Antwerp-Bruges, the port’s predicament underscores the high stakes for businesses, investors, and consumers navigating shifting economic policies.
