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Belgium's ports drowning under glut of Chinese electric cars: 'Some are parked here for a year, sometimes more'
Le Monde ^ | May 4, 2024 | Jean-Pierre Stroobants

Posted on 05/06/2024 10:55:39 AM PDT by Red Badger

Due to China's overcapacity in production – as it aims to capture a quarter of the European electric vehicle market – the ports of Antwerp and Zeebrugge are inundated.

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https://www.lemonde.fr/en/economy/article/2024/05/04/belgium-s-ports-drowning-under-glut-of-chinese-electric-cars-some-are-parked-here-for-a-year-sometimes-a-year-and-a-half_6670373_19.html

A large number of Chinese-made cars are being gathered at Yantai Port for shipment for export in Yantai, Shandong Province, China, on April 12, 2024. CFOTO / NURPHOTO VIA AFP You probably need to see it to appreciate the challenges the automobile industry faces in transitioning to electricity. You also need to come here to understand how the Chinese industry's overcapacity has flooded the European market. That morning, as the sun unexpectedly lit up the maze of highways leading to this remote arm of the port of Antwerp, Belgium, a huge cargo ship from the Norwegian company Höegh Autoliners unloaded thousands of cars at one of the terminals of International Car Operators (ICO), a subsidiary of the Japanese group Nippon Yusen Kaisha.

Alongside Swedish-Norwegian Wallenius Wilhelmsen, it is one of the main operators of the now merged port of Antwerp-Bruges, the world's largest automotive terminal, through which the production of some 40 brands used to transit. But that was before the emergence of their Chinese competitors.

At Calloo, near Antwerp, and Zeebrugge, on the North Sea coast, huge parking lots can accommodate some 130,000 vehicles, but they now find themselves too cramped. In 2022, 3.4 million vehicles passed through the two ports. Since then, the market has evolved further, challenges have multiplied and operators are doing their best to resolve vehicle storage issues.

In front of the carefully guarded gates of ICO in Calloo, cars of all make are lined up as far as the eye can see before being loaded onto trucks from Italy, the UK, Poland, and Germany. In the foreground are models that are often still unknown to the general public. "All Chinese. I prefer German cars," grumbled Rinus De Vries, a Dutch truck driver waiting in his cab.

MG, BYD, Nio, XPeng, Lynk & Co, Omoda, Hongqi, etc. A dozen Chinese automakers have launched a commercial offensive to export nearly 4.1 million cars by 2023 (+ 58% in one year). They aim to conquer a European market undergoing rapid change, thanks in part to the subsidies available in several countries for the purchase of electric vehicles.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Military/Veterans; Sports; Travel
KEYWORDS: cars; chinese; electric; electriccar; electriccars; ev; evs
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1 posted on 05/06/2024 10:55:39 AM PDT by Red Badger
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when it comes time to dump those batteries...eek.


2 posted on 05/06/2024 10:58:16 AM PDT by xoxox
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To: Red Badger

Salt air and lithion ion batteries are a great combo

(s)


3 posted on 05/06/2024 11:00:52 AM PDT by woodbutcher1963
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To: Red Badger
They aim to conquer a European market undergoing rapid change, thanks in part to the subsidies available in several countries for the purchase of electric vehicles.

"Green" parties force the government to pay massaive EV subsidies. Then most of it will go directly to fund China. None of it helps the "environment," since nothing is more environmentally destructive than the mining for battery parts for an EV vehicle.

4 posted on 05/06/2024 11:01:47 AM PDT by montag813
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To: Red Badger

“ thanks in part to the subsidies available in several countries for the purchase of electric vehicles.”
***************************************************

aka “transferring slices of Europe’s dwindling wealth to China”. What a great idea, EU. You folks are brilliant.


5 posted on 05/06/2024 11:02:00 AM PDT by House Atreides (I’m now ULTRA-MAGA-PRO-MAX)
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To: Red Badger
Maybe the EV fad is over in Europe like it is in the U.S.

Maybe people are too broke to buy a car, either EV or gas.

Maybe people are uncomfortable buying new assets that might get damaged in a possible WW3.

Maybe all of the above.

6 posted on 05/06/2024 11:02:46 AM PDT by Tell It Right (1st Thessalonians 5:21 -- Put everything to the test, hold fast to that which is true.)
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To: woodbutcher1963

“Salt air and lithion ion batteries are a great combo”

The batteries are sealed.

“(s)”

What is “(s)”?


7 posted on 05/06/2024 11:04:24 AM PDT by TexasGator
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To: xoxox

“Unsafe at Any Speed”

Now that we could REALLY use your expertise, Ralph Nader, where are you?


8 posted on 05/06/2024 11:08:03 AM PDT by alloysteel (Most people slog through life without ever knowing the wonders of true insanity.)
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To: Red Badger
Chinese cars. What could go wrong?

Just because they're flooding the market with these cheap cars doesn't mean they're a decent bargain in the end.

Just like dumping steel, the chicoms are now dumping autos in order to corner the market on at least the EV’s.

Can't wait to see these POS’s show up in the states. That should make for some interesting “highlights”.

9 posted on 05/06/2024 11:15:00 AM PDT by Pox (Eff You China. Buy American!)
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To: Red Badger

Chinese EVs are very dangerous , they catch fire their airbags DON’T work , the rear of your EV could just fall off


10 posted on 05/06/2024 11:15:28 AM PDT by butlerweave
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To: butlerweave

and this is from the High end models


11 posted on 05/06/2024 11:16:23 AM PDT by butlerweave
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To: TexasGator

Sarcasm tag

I would not want a Chinese EV IF it was given to me.


12 posted on 05/06/2024 11:17:43 AM PDT by woodbutcher1963
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To: Red Badger

I hope they didn’t pay for those because they’ll never get their money back ,LOL


13 posted on 05/06/2024 11:19:41 AM PDT by butlerweave
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To: woodbutcher1963

“Sarcasm tag”

Why are you opening after your post?


14 posted on 05/06/2024 11:25:28 AM PDT by TexasGator
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To: butlerweave
Chinese EVs are very dangerous , they catch fire their airbags DON’T work , the rear of your EV could just fall off

Plus, an hour after you get to your destination, you feel like driving somewhere else.

15 posted on 05/06/2024 11:28:01 AM PDT by Disambiguator
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To: Red Badger

It’s always good for batteries to sit unused near salt water.
/s


16 posted on 05/06/2024 11:39:10 AM PDT by DesertRhino (2016 Star Wars, 2020 The Empire Strikes Back, 2024... RETURN OF THE JEDI. and hopes they could forc)
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To: Tell It Right

It will not be long before you will be able to buy an electric car for a song—The law of supply and demand will take over. They must lower the price or send the whole lot of these new cars into the land fill. Just wait until the Depression hits. No more worthless paper money, no jobs, and your welfare will only buy you a couple of Big Mack Burgers.($250 a pop with fries). Americans will know starvation for the first time since the Civil War. There will be no more pets or stray animals as they will be eaten for food. Buffalo will become extinct as they are turned into steaks. Guards with orders to shoot to kill will be a feature of every supermarket, with floors stained by the blood of looters. You will be forced to show money to enter a market, or be turned away. A Democratic Dream, GOP Nightmare.


17 posted on 05/06/2024 11:39:59 AM PDT by Forward the Light Brigade (. War is Hell)
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To: TexasGator

Why are you always such a smarmy jerk?

L


18 posted on 05/06/2024 11:41:22 AM PDT by Lurker ( Peaceful coexistence with the Left is not possible. Stop pretending that it is.)
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To: Forward the Light Brigade

A huge hunk of the USA will secede if that were to happen.


19 posted on 05/06/2024 11:49:58 AM PDT by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn...)
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To: Lurker

Why are you always trolling me. Take your meds and get a life.


20 posted on 05/06/2024 12:37:54 PM PDT by TexasGator
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