Low water hinders Rhine shipping in Germany as river falls further in drought conditions

Record ID: 1987964

  • Title: Low water hinders Rhine shipping in Germany as river falls further in drought conditions
  • Date: 3rd April 2025
  • Summary: BINGEN, GERMANY (APRIL 2, 2025) (REUTERS) DRONE VIEW OF RHINE RIVER WITH SAND BANKS VISIBLE DRONE VIEW OF SAND BANKS AND SHIPS RUINS OF CASTLE ON RHINE BANKS VARIOUS OF SIGHTSEEING BOAT GOING PAST WITH LOW WATER VISIBLE VARIOUS OF STONES SEEN THROUGH LOW WATER BONN, GERMANY (APRIL 3, 2025) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (German) CLIMATOLOGIST, KARSTEN BRANDT, SAYING: "The weather s
  • Embargoed:
  • Keywords: Rhine climate change drought expert low water level river
  • Location: BINGEN & BONN, GERMANY
  • City: BINGEN & BONN, GERMANY
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Climate Adaptation and Solution,Climate Change,Environment,Europe,General News
  • Reuters ID: LVA001384103042025RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:Low water levels after recent dry weather are preventing cargo vessels from sailing fully loaded on the Rhine river in Germany, with cargo owners facing higher transport costs, commodity traders said on Thursday (April 3).
    Extreme lack of rain in March and April means low water is hampering shipping on all the river south of Duisburg and Cologne, including the chokepoint of Kaub, with levels falling again this week, traders said.
    Shallow water means vessel operators impose surcharges on freight rates to compensate for vessels not sailing fully loaded, increasing costs for cargo owners. Consignments must be shipped by several vessels instead of one, also raising costs.
    Market prices for a tanker freighter sailing from Rotterdam to Karlsruhe rose to about 46 euros a tonne of cargo on Thursday from 34 euros ($37.41) last week.
    Dry weather again forecast for the next week in river catchment areas means that no improvement is in immediate sight.
    The Rhine is an important shipping route for commodities such as grains, minerals, ores, coal and oil products, including heating oil.
    (Production: Timm Reichert, Max Schwarz, Stephane Nitschke, Tanya Wood)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2025. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register