Cargo shipping costs rise as Rhine water levels drop again
Commodity traders said vessels are sailing part-loaded as tanker rates from Rotterdam to Karlsruhe rose to about €170 a ton.
- On Friday, the Inland navigation agency WSV reported that water levels in the Rhine have fallen again after mostly dry weather, with commodity traders reporting rising costs for cargo shipping.
- Successive heatwaves and scant rainfall across Germany and other European countries this summer pushed water levels down in the Rhine, a vital shipping route for grain, metal ores, coal, and refined oil.
- At the Kaub chokepoint near Koblenz, the navigable water gauge dropped to around 21 cm on Friday, down from 34 cm on Monday; tanker transport prices from Rotterdam to Karlsruhe jumped to about €165-€170.
- German companies face logistics bottlenecks and curbed production as vessels sail with less cargo; more freight is shifting to road and railway transport to accommodate shallow water conditions.
- The WSV expects no major improvement in water levels over the coming week, though expected rain could keep the river stable around current levels and prevent a return to mid-August record-lows.
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The impact of the Rhine River's declining water level is now clearly visible on European cargo shipping. Ships are carrying less cargo due to the low water level, making transportation more expensive. Tanker shipping rates have increased by 70% in a single week.
The dry weather continues in Germany, and as a result, the water level in the Rhine River has dropped again. This is affecting the transport of goods on the river.
Cargo shipping costs rise as Rhine water levels drop again
Water levels in the Rhine in Germany have fallen again this week after mostly dry weather, the country’s inland navigation agency said on Friday, with commodity traders reporting rising costs for cargo shipping.
The Rhine River, one of the most important waterways in Europe, is once again recording low water levels, Deutsche Welle reports.
Currently, the Rhine is closed to all ship traffic at the level of the Severins Bridge. The reason is the low water level.
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