US Trade Measures Could Disrupt Caribbean Shipping, PM Gonsalves Warns

By Admin. Updated 11:05 a.m., Friday, March 28, 2025, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).

Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves insists that the recent proposed trade measures seeking to be implemented against Chinese built ships accessing US ports can have significant ripple effects for the region.

Speaking on NBC radio on Wednesday, Dr. Gonsalves said these measures, which have an aggressive timeline, will mean serious supply chain disruptions as well as other increases that will inevitably trickle down to the consumer.

The measures proposed, seek to penalize the use of existing Chinese vessels, and deter the future purchase and use of these vessels by entities wishing to access the US market, both inbound and outbound.

“All of this is going to increase freight rates significantly, and it will be passed onto the consumer. Possible implications would include reduction in the amount of shipping lines serving the Caribbean, disruption in the reliability of the supply chain,reduction in vessel calls, less resilience and sustainability of ports, increased port operation cost and obviously a negative impact on economic growth, revenue and job creation. It would impact the social wellbeing of people, and it would also have an impact on tourism and cruise ships,” Dr. Gonsalves explained.

“The measures target Chinese operators directly, as well as fleets operating with Chinese built vessels and it privileges the use of US built vessels,” and consequently this will impact a number of shipping companies which conduct business in the region.

The Prime Minister said that on a regional level, Caricom intends to lobby congress and enlist the leadership of the shipping firms that could lose their businesses in the region.

“We have to use our ambassadors in Washington to lobby influential constituencies on Capitol Hill and individuals who have influence as well as technical outreach. We have to provide supportive testimony in the scheduled hearings, we have to have a clear message and stress the extreme effects of these measures on the Caricom states,” The Prime Minister said.

The information was sourced from a press release sent to us by the Agency for Public Information.