For example, Bremen in Germany and the adjacent sea port of Bremerhaven, Antwerp and Bruges in Belgium and other ports have problems.
Cars are relatively easy to transport on ships, but they cannot be stacked like containers when stored. One car occupies an average area of ten square meters.
Mediterranean ports are overwhelmed with goods
Economy
The port of Bremerhaven is one of the largest car import terminals in the world, handling more than 1.7 million cars annually. While a few years ago, exports accounted for 80 percent of cars and imports for 20 percent, now it’s half and half. Compared to the period a few years ago during the covid pandemic, the import of both electric cars and cars with internal combustion engines has increased.
Weaker sales in Germany
Vehicles are also piling up at the port of Antwerp as car sales in Europe have slowed and logistics are facing problems due to a shortage of truck drivers and other service personnel.
“The problem is not so much how many cars are arriving, but that inland transport is not working properly,” said Elke Verbeelen, spokeswoman for the combined port of Antwerp and Bruges.
But the increase in imports also plays a role. Chinese exporters of electric cars, such as the BYD brand, increased their total export volume by 58 percent last year.
The American car company Tesla, on the other hand, concentrates the marketing and sales of cars on the Internet, some cars do not go to car showrooms at all and wait for customers in the parking lot.
Sales of electric cars in Europe weakened after Germany suddenly stopped subsidies for their purchase last December. For example, the American car manufacturer Ford has also been struggling with weaker sales of its models in recent months.
Musk promised cheaper cars. Tesla shares thus rose sharply despite the miserable results
Economy
