Low water levels following a drought and heatwave in western Europe continue to hinder shipping through the Rhine river in Germany, commodity traders said on Wednesday, with rain in past days generating only a moderate rise in water levels.
Low water is hampering shipping on all the river south of Duisburg and Cologne, including the chokepoint of Kaub. Vessels are generally only able to sail about half full, although the volumes they can load have risen slightly, traders said.
But cargo is still being delivered, with loads being carried by several vessels instead of one, traders said.
Related: Rhine River’s Low Water Levels Provide ‘Further Evidence’ of Climate Change
Shallow water means vessel operators impose surcharges on freight rates to compensate for vessels not sailing fully loaded, increasing costs for cargo owners.
Only moderate rainfall is forecast in the coming days in river catchment areas, so no major improvement is expected, traders said.
The Rhine is an important shipping route for commodities such as grains, minerals, ores, coal and oil products, including heating oil.
German companies faced supply bottlenecks and production problems in summer 2022 after a drought and heat wave led to unusually low water levels on the Rhine.
(Reporting by Michael Hogan; editing by Jan Harvey)
Photograph: Cargo ships maneuver near the the banks of Rhine River on November 09, 2018 near Kaub in Germany. A summer heat wave, no rain, and unfavorable wind conditions had left the Rhine River at record low water levels. (Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images)