A heat wave sweeping across western Europe has caused water levels in Germany’s largest river, the Rhine, to drop below the level that allows for full cargo, Reuters reports.
The low water level is causing additional costs for freight carriers, as it is impossible to navigate with fully loaded ships and requires multiple trips. Drought has restricted shipping along the entire length of the river south of Cologne and Duisburg, including at its narrowest point at Kaub. At Kaub, cargo ships can sail up to 50% full, and at Cologne with about 40% to 50% of their full load.
The shallow water is forcing freight carriers to raise prices to compensate for the fact that ships cannot sail full.
This in turn requires more ships to be sent on the route and creates higher costs for cargo owners. Cargo is delivered, but instead of one ship carrying it, several ships are carrying it.
The Rhine is an important waterway used for transporting grain, minerals, ores, coal and petroleum products.
This week, meteorologists are predicting a heatwave in parts of Germany, including the Rhine region, with temperatures in Cologne reaching as high as 40 degrees Celsius. Transporters say no improvement is expected and water levels are likely to continue to fall.
In the summer of 2022, the Rhine also fell after a prolonged drought and heatwave, and German companies faced supply problems that hampered production.
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