Low water levels following a drought and heatwave in western Europe are hindering traffic on the Rhine river in Germany after weekend rain caused only a moderate rise in water levels, commodity
Low water levels following a drought and heatwave in western Europe are hindering traffic on the Rhine river in Germany after weekend rain caused only a moderate rise in water levels, commodity traders said on Monday.
Low water is hampering shipping all along the river south of Duisburg and Cologne, including the chokepoint of Kaub, and vessels are generally only able to sail about half full.
Shallow water means vessel operators impose surcharges on freight rates to compensate for vessels not sailing fully loaded, increasing costs for cargo owners.
Traders said loads were being delivered by carrying loads on several vessels instead of one.
More rain is forecast in the coming days, which could raise water levels.
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 heatwave led to unusually low water levels on the Rhine.
(Reuters)
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