Trump Tariff Shockwave Brings Shanghai’s Busy Port to a Halt Overnight

Containers stand idle along the dock as trans-Pacific voyages are canceled amid tariff confusion

Planes at the UPS Worldport facility in Louisville, Kentucky, U.S., on Aug. 8, 2024. Photo: Bloomberg

Shanghai’s bustling port came to an abrupt halt on Thursday, just one day after U.S. President Donald Trump’s punitive 125% tariffs on Chinese imports took effect — virtually wiping out shipments bound for the United States overnight.

Only days earlier, the port had been a hive of activity, with ships rushing to load containers ahead of the tariff deadline. On April 7 and 8, nearly half the vessels docked at Shanghai’s Yangshan and Waigaoqiao terminals were bound for the U.S., racing against the clock.