Trump’s tariff tide lifts Asean ports again – some more than others

[SINGAPORE] Ports across South-east Asia are riding a second wave of a “great reroute”, buoyed by a fresh swell as businesses give Beijing a wide berth to dodge US tariffs, adding to earlier gains from the China-plus-one playbook.

US President Donald Trump’s latest tariff blitz, albeit dialled-back temporarily, has sent businesses rerouting their shipments, with pundits The Business Times spoke to agreeing that ongoing supply chain shifts are putting wind in the sails of South-east Asia’s ports – the backbone of global trade.

But the region’s rising shipping volumes are straining ports, with infrastructure gaps and pandemic-era congestion resurfacing as shippers rush to beat the tariff clock.