HAMBURG, Aug 28 (Reuters) – This week, water levels on Germany's Rhine River have remained stable, staying above the record lows seen recently. Thanks to some rain, vessels can now carry larger loads, according to the country's inland navigation agency.
Currently, freight rates on the river are down, and more heavy rain is expected Friday, which should help even more. Despite this, traders noted that water levels are still too low for ships to operate at full capacity.
Earlier this month, German companies faced challenges as Rhine water levels hit record lows. This situation raised transport costs, caused logistics delays, and affected production.
The inland navigation agency WSV reported that the navigable water level at Kaub, a key point near Koblenz, was around 60 cm on Friday. This is a significant improvement compared to less than 10 cm in mid-August, which was even lower than the previous record of 25 cm set in 2018. The actual depth of the river is about one meter deeper than this navigable measurement.
However, cargoes still need to be divided among several partially loaded ships, raising costs for the industry. Some freight has also been redirected to road and rail transport.
In mid-August, many ships had to stop sailing through Kaub due to the low water conditions. While some services have resumed, vessels are currently only able to carry about 700 to 800 metric tons, depending on the ship type, according to traders.
The price for river tanker freight from Rotterdam to Karlsruhe fell to approximately €100 to €110 ($116 to $128) per metric ton on Friday, down from over €145 a ton in mid-August, as reported by a trader.
Germany and several other European nations have dealt with ongoing heatwaves and a lack of rainfall this summer, resulting in reduced water levels on critical waterways like the Rhine, which is essential for transporting grain, minerals, coal, and refined oil products.
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