EconomyLens.com
No Result
View All Result
Saturday, July 5, 2025
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Business
  • Markets
  • Tech
  • Editorials
EconomyLens.com
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Business
  • Markets
  • Tech
  • Editorials
No Result
View All Result
EconomyLens.com
No Result
View All Result
Home Economy

Trump’s tariffs bite at quiet US ports

Thomas Barnes by Thomas Barnes
May 2, 2025
in Economy
Reading Time: 9 mins read
A A
3
37
SHARES
460
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

The usual choreography of cranes at the Port of Los Angeles is stumbling thanks to swingeing tariffs imposed by Donald Trump. ©AFP

San Pedro (United States) (AFP) – At the Port of Los Angeles, the frenetic choreography of cranes unloading containers from Asia has slowed to a tiptoe, and the noise of the busiest docks in the US is quieting.

Related

Eight OPEC+ alliance members move toward output hike at meeting

Bombers and a ‘beautiful bill’ — Trump celebrates US Independence Day

BRICS nations to gather without Xi, Putin

South American bloc looks to Asia, Europe in face of Trump trade war

China to require EU brandy exporters to raise prices or face tariffs

“You could hear a pin drop, it’s very unusual,” Port Director Gene Seroka told AFP. By this unofficial barometer, the American economy faces slowdown under US President Donald Trump amid his trade war with China. Along with the next-door Port of Long Beach, the area represents the biggest gateway in the United States for goods from China and the rest of Asia. That has made it among the first victims to a burgeoning crisis threatening to disrupt the lives of millions of Americans.

Trump’s on-again-off-again tariffs — and the retaliation launched by other countries — has cowed importers, whose usual orders for furniture, toys, and clothing have dwindled. For the week of May 4, the Port of Los Angeles will receive up to 35 percent less cargo compared with the same period last year, Seroka said. The Port of Long Beach says for the entire month of May it is expecting a 30 percent drop in imports. Dozens of ships have cancelled their voyages to these ports.

“Many retailers and manufacturers alike have hit the pause button, stopping all shipments from China,” said Seroka. The Asian manufacturing giant is the hardest hit by Trump’s tariffs, with levies as high as 145 percent on some goods. Sales of Chinese goods to the US last year totaled more than $500 billion, according to Beijing. And while sales may not be going up this year, prices undoubtedly will. “Effectively, the cost of a product made in China now is two and a half times more expensive than it was just last month,” said Seroka.

– Empty shelves –

Trump last month announced a range of differing tariffs against nearly all countries in the world — including an island populated mostly by penguins — using a formula that baffled economists. He reversed course a few days later and left a blanket 10 percent rate against most of the planet. That extra cost, which is paid by the importer of a product, not by the seller, will affect trade across the United States.

“This is not just a West Coast issue,” warned Long Beach Port Director Mario Cordero. “It affects every port, whether it’s in the East or in the Gulf” of Mexico, which Trump has decreed should be known as the Gulf of America. At the start of the year, Long Beach and Los Angeles saw American companies scurry to get ahead of tariffs that Trump promised on the campaign trail. Cargo volumes surged as they tried to build up as much untaxed inventory as possible.

But as the tariffs begin to bite, they will undoubtedly hold buying to eat into that inventory. Without a reversal from the White House that would re-open the trade spigot, that could mean shortages that consumers will start to notice, and soon, according to Seroka. “American importers, especially in the retail sector, are telling me that they have about five to seven weeks of normal inventory on hand today,” he said. “If this trade dispute goes on for any length of time, we’ll likely see fewer selections on store shelves and online buying platforms.” The impact on American consumers will be less choice and higher prices,” he said. “The American consumer is going to get hit right in the wallet.”

– ‘We’re angry at Donald Trump’ –

For Antonio Montalbo, one of the 900,000 logistics workers in Southern California, the ordeal has already begun. As the owner of a small trucking company, he needs to replace the starter on one of his vehicles; the part, made in China, now costs twice as much. Trump has “created a hostile environment at the port for the drivers,” says the 37-year-old. “We’re angry at Donald Trump. He needs to go check out the country a little bit, because he has a lot of angry truck drivers.”

It seems like he doesn’t care about the public or the working class. Between skyrocketing maintenance costs and the fall-off in work, he estimates he could be laying off staff within six months. Montalbo says he voted for Trump last November because he was fed up with inflation, and trusted him to fix the economy. “I thought that he was a businessman. Now we have something worse than inflation, called tariffs.”

© 2024 AFP

Tags: tariffstradeUS economy
Share15Tweet9Share3Pin3Send
Previous Post

Mexican mega-port confronts Trump’s tariff storm

Next Post

Carney vows to transform Canada economy to withstand Trump

Thomas Barnes

Thomas Barnes

Related Posts

Economy

Rio to host BRICS summit wary of Trump

July 4, 2025
Economy

Trump to sign ‘big, beautiful’ bill on US Independence Day

July 4, 2025
Economy

Trump wins ‘phenomenal’ victory as Congress passes flagship bill

July 4, 2025
Economy

What is the state of play with Trump’s tariffs?

July 3, 2025
Economy

Where do trade talks stand in the rush to avert higher US tariffs?

July 4, 2025
Economy

World Bank’s IFC ramps up investment amid global uncertainty

July 4, 2025
Next Post

Carney vows to transform Canada economy to withstand Trump

Inflation, hotel prices curtail Japanese 'Golden Week' travels

Musk's dreams for Starbase city in Texas hang on vote

Warren Buffett to retire from Berkshire Hathaway by year's end

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
guest
3 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest

New York ruling deals Trump business a major blow

September 30, 2024

Elon Musk’s X fights Australian watchdog over church stabbing posts

April 21, 2024

Women journalists bear the brunt of cyberbullying

April 22, 2024

France probes TotalEnergies over 2021 Mozambique attack

May 6, 2024

Ghanaian finance ministry warns against fallout from anti-LGBTQ law

74

New York ruling deals Trump business a major blow

72

Shady bleaching jabs fuel health fears, scams in W. Africa

71

Stock markets waver, oil prices edge up

65

China’s first Legoland opens to tourists in Shanghai

July 5, 2025

Eight OPEC+ alliance members move toward output hike at meeting

July 4, 2025

Bombers and a ‘beautiful bill’ — Trump celebrates US Independence Day

July 5, 2025

BRICS nations to denounce Trump tariffs

July 5, 2025
EconomyLens Logo

We bring the world economy to you. Get the latest news and insights on the global economy, from trade and finance to technology and innovation.

Pages

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us

Categories

  • Business
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Tech
  • Editorials

Network

  • Coolinarco.com
  • CasualSelf.com
  • Fit.CasualSelf.com
  • Sport.CasualSelf.com
  • SportBeep.com
  • MachinaSphere.com
  • MagnifyPost.com
  • TodayAiNews.com
  • VideosArena.com
© 2025 EconomyLens.com - Top economic news from around the world.
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Business
  • Markets
  • Tech
  • Editorials

© 2024 EconomyLens.com - Top economic news from around the world.