Low water on Rhine disrupts shipping and hits industrial output in Germany

Low water levels on the Rhine River are hampering shipping and raising transport costs, prompting major German industrial firms to adapt operations and reduce cargo loads. Vessels are forced to carry significantly less freight than normal, according to Fabian Spieß of the German Inland Waterways Association. The disruption has pushed Thyssenkrupp Steel Europe to temporarily halt its own pusher boat fleet and scale back production, while BASF has added more ships to compensate for reduced individual capacity. The waterways authority forecasts water levels falling further in the coming days, with only a brief 30-centimetre rise expected around July 19 and no sustained relief in sight. The situation echoes the severe 2018 drought, when so-called "hunger stones" were last visible on the riverbed.