The Rhine Falls to 24 Centimeters at Kaub, Cutting Barge Loads to About a Fifth

The Rhine gauge at Kaub, the reference point for shipping on Germany's most important inland waterway, fell to 24 centimeters on August 4, the same single reading recorded in October 2018, with forecasts pointing to 17 centimeters by Saturday. After several heat waves and a summer of low rainfall, cargo vessels can often load only about a fifth of capacity.

The economic effect is direct. A barge that can carry only part of its normal load still costs nearly the same to operate, so the price per ton rises. An expert at the German Chambers of Industry and Commerce said the low levels across the Rhine and other rivers are producing bottlenecks, rising transport costs and longer delivery times, with agricultural shipments among those affected.

Chemicals plants, steelmakers, refineries and grain traders along the river depend on the waterway for bulk inputs that are expensive to move by rail or road. When the water drops, those industries either pay surcharges, switch to more costly land transport, or slow production.

The federal government is under pressure to respond, though the available measures, dredging and fairway deepening, take years to deliver. Germany has now recorded severe low-water episodes repeatedly since 2018, which makes the disruption a recurring cost of doing business rather than an isolated summer event.