Water level in the Rhine River is critical: Cargo ships reduce capacity The water levels in the Rhine River, Germany's most important inland waterway, have
Water level in the Rhine River is critical: Cargo ships reduce capacity
The water levels in the Rhine River, Germany's most important inland waterway, have dropped to critical levels again, negatively affecting freight transportation.
As the water level in the river approaches historical lows due to long-lasting heat waves and decreased rainfall, ship transportation is becoming difficult, especially in the Kaub region, one of Germany's important transit points.
Due to the low water level, cargo ships cannot sail at full capacity. Operators have to make more trips to carry the same amount of cargo because ships carry less cargo. While this situation increases transportation costs, it also affects the logistics plans of industrial enterprises.
Rhine; It stands out as one of the most critical transportation lines in Europe for the transportation of coal, petroleum products, chemicals, grain, ore and other industrial raw materials. Low water levels in the river put pressure on supply chains, especially in Germany's industrial regions.
While water levels approached record low levels in July and August, and although there was a recovery in some regions after the rains, the levels required for ships to operate at full capacity have not yet been reached.
While the drought in inland waterways in Europe increases the costs of energy and commodity transportation, developments on the Rhine River are closely monitored by logistics markets across the continent.
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
