Ferry slips, once busy between Trinidad and Venezuela, have gone quiet as U.S. warships cruise the Caribbean and rhetoric hardens. The shuttle that knits two neighbors is faltering, punishing families, traders, and a cross-border economy rattled by fear and uncertainty. Ferries as a Barometer of FearIf you want a real-time readout of regional anxiety, skip the podiums and look at the docks. What Silence at the Docks Means for TradeEmpty benches on ferries are mirrored by idle forklifts in nearby ports. It’s a small sea.