Rhine River water levels have climbed enough for several passenger ferries to resume operations after weeks of suspension, though cargo shipping remains severely constrained following record lows.
The water level at Duisburg reached 1.49 metres on Friday, breaking below the previous record minimum of 1.53 metres set in 2018, while the gauge at Kaub stood at 46 centimetres, well under the equivalent reference level of 77 centimetres. Cargo vessels at Duisburg port are operating with roughly 20 percent of their usual capacity. Joachim Holstein, a port authority representative, said meaningful relief is not expected until late September or early October.
Rising waters have allowed the Düsseldorf-Süd to Zons ferry to restart after a 29-day halt, with services in Cologne, Bad Honnef, Kaub, and between Xanten and Wesel also resuming. Operator Jens Jansen said the forced shutdown caused significant economic losses, and the Hitdorf ferry reported losses of around 30,000 euros from its month-long closure.