With hardly any rain for weeks, the water level of the Rhine in Germany has fallen to its lowest level since 2018. The river is now about to be closed to navigation, images (above) from Friday show. This threatens new setbacks for the German economy. And in Switzerland, which gets a third of its mineral oil from the Rhine, this fact is already driving up fuel prices.
But not only fuels such as petrol and diesel, but also heating oil are affected by the price increases. Grain and fertilizers are also becoming more expensive due to the low water level. The reason: because of the low water level, the ships can only sail with 25 to 35 percent of the loading capacity, so that they do not get stuck. In addition to the fuel costs, which have been high for months anyway, this costs money and transport becomes considerably more expensive.
Ship capacities are already scarce
“This means that customers often need three vessels to carry their cargo – rather than just one,” explains Roberto Spranzi, director of the shipping cooperative DTG, which operates around 100 vessels on the Rhine. Ship capacities are already tight as demand has increased. One of the reasons for this, Spranzi says, is that Germany wants to increase electricity generation from coal to prepare for reduced gas supplies from Russia.
Inland skippers struggle with low water
The Federal Association of German Inland Navigation (BDB) also confirms that many freighters can only be partially loaded. Due to the so-called low water surcharge, which customers have to pay extra at low water depending on the water level and the contract, this can make transport noticeably more expensive. According to the BDB, passenger ships and ferries can no longer approach all piers due to the low water levels. According to the BDB, no cargo ships have sailed on the Elbe for weeks.
“Truck traffic noticeably affected”
The Rhine is an important shipping route for goods such as grain, chemicals, minerals, coal and oil products, including fuel oil. “Since mid-July, the water level in the Rhine has been so low that freight traffic is noticeably affected,” reports Nils Jannsen, economic expert at the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW).
In the past, German industrial production has fallen by about one percent when water levels fall below a critical limit for a 30-day period, Jannsen warned.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
