The Rhine River has hit a fresh record low at the Kaub gauge near Koblenz, disrupting cargo transport and forcing companies to seek alternative routes as Europe’s heatwave continues.
According to Germany’s inland waterways agency, WSV, the water level at Kaub fell to just 6 centimetres late Friday before rising slightly to 8 cm early Saturday.
The latest reading is below the previous record of 10 cm recorded earlier on Friday and significantly below the previous low of 25 cm recorded in 2018.
The Kaub gauge measures the water level rather than the river’s full depth, but its readings are widely used as an important indicator of navigability along the Rhine. The river itself is estimated to be roughly one metre deeper than the gauge reading at that location.
Water levels at Kaub have remained below 78 cm since mid-July, creating increasing difficulties for vessels carrying heavy loads along the commercially vital waterway.
The Kiel Institute for the World Economy estimates that industrial production can decline by about 1% when water levels at Kaub remain below 78 cm for 30 consecutive days, as occurred during severe low-water periods in 2018 and 2022.
The Rhine is one of Europe’s most important transport corridors, carrying chemicals, fuel, commodities and other industrial goods between major industrial centres and ports.
But increasingly shallow waters have forced shipping companies to reduce cargo loads, while some businesses are turning to road and rail transport to move essential supplies.
German chemical manufacturers, utilities, steel producers and agricultural traders are already facing higher transportation costs, delays and the risk of production cuts as low water levels restrict river traffic.
With freight movement on the Rhine increasingly constrained, more cargo is being redirected to roads and railways, adding pressure to alternative supply networks as the heatwave persists.
Goodness Anunobi
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