Port of Antwerp-Bruges figures show 15.9% drop in export of cars, vans, trucks and tractors to US

The Port of Antwerp-Bruges has been turned into a giant car park with thousands of cars, vans, trucks and tractors bound for the US sitting idle as manufacturers try to avert the worst of Donald Trump’s tariffs.

Figures released by the port show a 15.9% drop in the transport of new passenger cars and vans to the US in the first six months of 2025 compared with the same period last year, with a sharp decline emerging in May – one month after the US president announced his “liberation day” tariffs.

Exports of trucks and what they call “high and heavy equipment” is down by almost a third at 31.5%.

  • Buffalox@lemmy.world
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    1 day ago

    Sounds like those cars are a perfect match for all the Americans that are siting idle while their country is going to shit.

    • jordanlund@lemmy.worldM
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      1 day ago

      Not sure what you mean, a majority of voters approved of Trump in the last election, and 1/3rd of Americans couldn’t be bothered to vote so clearly they’re OK with who the voters picked.

      The country is going to shit… to thunderous applause. They aren’t idle about it.

      • Buffalox@lemmy.world
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        1 day ago

        I don’t think the majority of Americans are applauding what’s happening to USA under Trump.
        I’ve seen a lot of regrets.

        • P00ptart@lemmy.world
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          20 hours ago

          Not enough, and almost no action at all. Especially from those with the most power to stop it. Well be Haiti in 18 months or less, except with nukes.

          • Buffalox@lemmy.world
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            13 hours ago

            I agree, which is the joke in that the cars sitting idle are perfect for Americans sitting idle while their country collapses.

      • jordanlund@lemmy.worldM
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        1 day ago

        If you aren’t interested in American policy, why comment on an article on the ramifications of US policy abroad? 🤔

            • womjunru@lemmy.cafe
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              22 hours ago

              Asshole is subjective, and the comment is to the user specifically, so some context would be missing. But, you get that dopamine!

              • edwardbear@lemmy.world
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                11 hours ago

                everything is subjective, if you are being generalistic about it. you might loudly say in public that you get a hard-on when you kill puppies, and subjectively it’s ok to share that in your dead puppies boner club, but expect a punch to the face if you say it in the streets. have decorum and leave your shitty opinion in the toilet

      • Buffalox@lemmy.world
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        1 day ago

        How do you mean? This is a result of American policies, that are most definitely harmful to USA. (and to the world)
        Multiple economists have said that.

        USA is losing influence, the dollar is weakened as a reserve currency, the American economy is expected to enter a recession if this continues for much longer. How is it obsessive to wonder why Americans chose this?

        • womjunru@lemmy.cafe
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          1 day ago

          I mean your life is like dedicated to an obsession of the USA. It’s really unhealthy. Everything you do is focused on this schadenfreude with America. Meanwhile, ignoring the fascism growing in Europe because you aren’t really about being anti-fascist, you’re about dopamine.

              • Buffalox@lemmy.world
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                1 day ago

                No not just tagged, you also react on it. I think I know who you are now. You are obsessed. When you showed your “evidence” last we debated this, you were downvoted into oblivion, and you still maintain this crap?

                  • Buffalox@lemmy.world
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                    23 hours ago

                    It doesn’t make it wrong, but it means it probably is wrong more often than not. Especially when the downvote is overwhelming, and there are no or almost no upvotes, then it is a very strong indicator.
                    It has happened to me too, and has been cause for reflection, and has meant that I discovered I actually was wrong. None of us can be right all the time.

          • P00ptart@lemmy.world
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            19 hours ago

            Like it or not, the US is the sole superpower at the moment. Chinas next in line for the throne as we fall. And that’s big news. Far bigger news than a couple of small countries in Europe fall to fascism. The fall of America will affect the entire world if they don’t act quickly to fix trade with the rest of the world. Y’all need to make deals to cut the cancer before it grows. And soon. Otherwise everything falls with us. Just make sure Germany doesn’t get infected.

            • womjunru@lemmy.cafe
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              16 hours ago

              While some people are gleefully watching the fall of the US (like that person), they are ignoring the world around them. You are totally right. And when China takes over…. Tanks for you! Tanks for you! Everyone gets a tank!

              (My comments were very pointed at the user though, because they are a big jerk. )

              • P00ptart@lemmy.world
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                15 hours ago

                Everyone has their own cope while dealing with this wildly new world we’re living in. Some people just choose to revel in it. Personally I feel numb to it, but I don’t blame people who are happy about it, especially 3rd world countries. Others? I feel probably don’t understand the full consequences of it yet. It’s like white suburban kids “feeling” the struggles of inner city youth in the early 90’s. They get the concept without feeling the effects. Yet, in this scenario, everyone is going to feel the effects.

          • Buffalox@lemmy.world
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            1 day ago

            Meanwhile, they are anti-immigrant, anti-lgbt, and casually racist.

            That is simply not true.
            For privacy reasons I can’t describe how moronic it is to call me anti LGBT. Even saying that I have said to much. You are so far out of line, that if it was in my power, I would ban you from Lemmy completely.

              • Buffalox@lemmy.world
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                1 day ago

                I know who you are now, you are the one who claimed that because you are gay you were automatically right, while I responded it may actually cloud your judgement on the issue.
                Man that was months ago, and you still carry that around? Thinking my comment was anti gay when it was nothing of the sort.
                Maybe I’ll just block you, because you are too weird for me.

                • womjunru@lemmy.cafe
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                  1 day ago

                  I don’t know that you’re talking about, but if you think that’s how any of our past interactions have gone than you’ve secured my opinion of you.

                  You should block me, because you’re tagged. If you don’t like being constantly reminded of various ill comments I’ve seen you post, then blocking me is a smart choice.

                  • Buffalox@lemmy.world
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                    1 day ago

                    If you don’t like being constantly reminded of various ill comments I’ve seen you post

                    And you claim you are not obsessed.
                    🤣 🤡