Thyssenkrupp Steel Suspend Barges Due to Low Rhine Levels
Traders said tanker barge rates have climbed to €60 to €70 a ton as vessels carry only part loads on the Rhine.
- Low water levels on the Rhine in Germany are preventing cargo vessels from sailing fully loaded, increasing costs for freight transport, commodity traders said on Monday.
- Dry weather and a continued heatwave in river catchment areas are causing water levels to drop, with traders noting improvement is not immediately in sight.
- Tanker barges can carry only about 1,200 metric tons through Duisburg and 460 tons at Kaub, while transport costs from Rotterdam to Karlsruhe have risen to around €60 per ton from €45.
- Vessels often sail only 20% full, requiring loads to be divided among several ships while operators impose surcharges on freight rates to compensate for reduced capacity.
- Rain is forecast from Friday, though improvement is not immediately expected as dry conditions continue to hamper the Rhine and shipping operations.
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The water level in Dutch rivers has dropped significantly due to the drought. The lowest water level ever recorded in the Rhine was 6.48 meters four years ago; currently, it is just 12 centimeters short of that. According to Ad Koppejan, chairman of the Royal Inland Shipping Association, this will have consequences not only for inland skippers but also for consumers.
Maritime Reporter
maritimeprofessional.comThyssenkrupp Steel Suspend Barges Due to Low Rhine Levels
Thyssenkrupp Steel has suspended shipping of raw materials to the western German city of Duisburg with its own vessels due to low water levels on the Rhine river, the company said on Tuesday.Thyssenkrupp Steel transports about 50,000 tons of…
Summer is still relatively young, but inland navigation is already struggling with the water level in the Rhine. Freight ships can transport less and less cargo. That is not their only cost driver.
Low water has already made inland navigation on the Rhine difficult early in the year.
Low water hampers Rhine river shipping in Germany, transport costs rise ...
The heat waves of recent weeks have greatly reduced the levels on German rivers, which now has consequences for German inland navigation.
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