Consequences of the drought: Low water level: Chemical industry warns of production cuts
Low water levels, particularly on the Rhine, are putting a strain on the German economy. The chemical industry is calling for more investment in infrastructure in view of the low water levels and sees supply chains in danger.
After the low water conference in Bonn, Federal Minister of Transport Steffen Bilger (CDU) announced several short-term measures aimed at helping the economy maintain supply chains along important waterways such as the Rhine, Danube, and Elbe. Bilger stated, "We cannot influence the weather, but we could ensure our economy fares better through these challenging weeks."
He spoke with business representatives and associations following the high-level meeting. Bilger proposed discussing exemptions from the Saturday and Sunday driving ban for trucks carrying particularly affected goods with the states. The same applies to the faster approval of heavy transports that need to be rerouted to the road.
"I have already spoken with the states and have detected great willingness to cooperate," Bilger said. The federal highway company has been instructed by Bilger to do everything possible to avoid delaying traffic through avoidable construction sites. The railway freight company DB Cargo has pledged to support the water-stressed industry, bringing more goods onto the rails.
Bilger stated, "They will jointly organize additional capacities across Europe and coordinate possible buffer concepts with energy providers." Extreme low water is a concrete challenge for the economy "and therefore also for our supply," Bilger concluded after the meeting.
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