Low water levels have hampered navigation on Germany's major rivers
Extremely low water levels are negatively affecting navigation on several major rivers in Germany, including the Rhine, the Elbe, and the Danube. Currently, inland waterway vessels can carry less cargo than they would under higher water levels, which significantly increases transportation costs in supply chains.
According to Fabian Spiss, deputy executive director of the German Association of Inland Waterway Transport, freight transport is currently continuing, and the Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration has not imposed any official restrictions.
The Waterways Authority has confirmed low water levels at numerous gauging stations along the Rhine, and the Federal Institute of Hydrology has reported the lowest water level on record on the Danube. On Wednesday, the water level on the Elbe at the Dresden measuring station was 59 centimeters, which is nearly 90 centimeters below the average. The reduced depth means that more vessels are needed to transport the same volume of goods.
The Federal Waterways and Shipping Authority continues to monitor the situation. According to Fabian Spiss, river transport will continue to operate as long as it can be done safely.
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