MADRID, (Reuters) – New Spanish car registrations fell by more than 30% during March due to a partial strike of truckers that delayed delivery of parts and vehicles. This also deepened supply chain issues. Industry body Anfac stated Friday.

Global shortages of semiconductors and logistical challenges as countries emerge from the slump caused a drop in car deliveries worldwide, which led to record-low sales in Europe.

The situation in Spain is even more dire. Thousands of truckers protested the inaction of the government over rising fuel prices for two weeks.

Anfac stated that new car registrations were down by 30% compared to one year before and 51% in March 2019 prior to the epidemic. In France, however, registrations dropped 19.5% and 35% respectively from March 2020 to March 2021.

However, the electric car registrations increased 17.6% compared to a year earlier, even though they were still low.

Noemi Navas from Anfac, Anfac Communication Director said that strikes by drivers on car-transporter trucks have severely affected delivery to customers.

She stated that, “In addition the rising energy prices and raw-material shortages, there are thousands of brand vehicles sitting idle on production lots because distribution problems.”

The organisation stressed the importance of supply-side challenges, but expressed concerns about how economic uncertainty could affect demand in the future after Russia invaded Ukraine.