Rhine water levels are approaching 2018 record lows this week, threatening further economic disruption after drought conditions already forced major European waterways to historic declines.
The gauge at Kaub fell to 29 centimetres on Wednesday, with authorities warning it could drop to 25 centimetres by Friday — matching October 2018's trough. Below 40 centimetres, meaningful inland navigation ceases, the Rhineland-Palatinate chamber of commerce said. Freight costs on the Rotterdam-Karlsruhe route have nearly tripled in July to as much as 125 euros per tonne, while cargo vessels now carry just 15 to 20 percent of capacity. The Kiel Institute for the World Economy estimates low water could cut German output by up to 0.2 percent in the third quarter.
The disruptions are spreading beyond freight. River cruise ships can no longer reach Cologne and are diverting passengers to Dutch ports including Rotterdam and Amsterdam. A railway line along the Rhine's eastern bank will remain closed to freight until December, compounding logistics strains. Germany's economy ministry, however, expects no greater damage than in previous droughts, citing supply-chain adjustments by companies that now use shallower-draft vessels.