Berlin: Water levels on Germany's Rhine River have fallen again this week, increasing pressure on cargo shipping and pushing up transport costs along one of Europe's most important inland waterways.
The decline has come after a temporary improvement in water levels at the end of August. Mostly dry weather has once again reduced water levels, making it harder for cargo vessels to carry normal loads.
At Kaub, a key navigation point on the Rhine near Koblenz, the water level was around 20 centimetres on Friday. It was about 34 centimetres on Monday and around 50 centimetres the previous week.
The Kaub gauge is closely watched because the area is a shallow section of the Rhine and can restrict how much cargo vessels are able to carry.
Low water does not mean that the river has stopped flowing or that shipping has been suspended. Ships are still operating, but many have to carry less cargo to reduce the risk of running aground.
As a result, cargo operators may need more vessels to transport the same amount of goods. This increases the cost of moving commodities along the river.
Commodity traders said tanker transport from Rotterdam in the Netherlands to Karlsruhe in southern Germany had risen to about 165 to 170 euros per tonne by Friday, compared with about 100 euros per tonne a week earlier.
The higher costs are adding pressure on traders and companies that depend on the Rhine to move goods. Some cargo has also been transferred from river transport to roads and railways.
The latest decline is a renewed setback after the river recovered from extremely low levels earlier in the summer.
In mid August, the water level at Kaub fell below 10 centimetres. That was lower than the previous record low of 25 centimetres recorded in 2018.
The river later rose after rainfall, allowing vessels to carry more cargo. However, the improvement did not provide lasting relief for shipping companies.
Official German waterway data showed that the level at Kaub had fallen to 19 centimetres on the evening of September 10.
Forecasts indicate that water levels are likely to remain very low in the coming days. Some rainfall is expected, but German waterway authorities do not expect a major improvement in the near term.
The low water conditions are affecting an important transport route for European industry. The Rhine carries large quantities of commodities including grain, metal ores, coal and refined oil products.
Germany has already taken measures to reduce the effects of low water levels. Authorities have encouraged greater use of rail and road transport and have worked with transport companies to provide additional capacity and alternative routes.
The government has also warned that low water remains a challenge for inland shipping, industry, logistics and supply chains.
The current situation is part of a wider period of hot and dry weather across Germany and other parts of Europe. Limited rainfall has reduced water levels on waterways during the summer.
However, the latest decline should not be described as a new record. The Rhine reached much lower levels at Kaub in August.
The main concern now is that water levels are falling again after a period of recovery, while shipping costs are rising and companies are once again having to adjust how goods are transported.
For businesses that depend on the Rhine, the immediate focus will be on whether further rainfall can raise water levels enough to allow vessels to carry larger loads.