Due to the ongoing drought and lack of precipitation in Europe, the water level in the Rhine River could drop to critical minimum levels in the coming days. This situation makes uninterrupted shipping and cargo transportation along the entire river impossible.
Sea-news.az reports that Jens Schwanen, head of the German Federal Inland Navigation Union, told the Rheinische Post newspaper that the long-term absence of precipitation has sharply reduced hydrological indicators in the city of Kaub, considered a strategic point for commercial shipping. According to forecasts, the water level is expected to drop below 10 centimeters for the first time.
As a result of the water falling to a critical limit, the Rhine River will effectively be divided into two independent sections in terms of navigation. Unlike the section through Kaub, the first part suitable for shipping will cover the area from the ports of the Netherlands to the German city of Cologne.
After Cologne, it is planned to use the network of inland canals so that cargo ships can deliver goods to the eastern regions and southern direction of Germany. The inability of ships to move with full loads on the Rhine River increases the transportation costs of fuel, raw materials, and industrial goods, leading to delays in Europe’s internal logistics chain.
