Dürre: „Versorgung gewährleistet“ – Bilger tritt Sorge vor Engpässen entgegen

Bundesverkehrsminister Steffen Bilger (CDU) is currently not seeing any supply bottlenecks despite the ongoing low water levels on important waterways. "At the moment, supply is guaranteed," Bilger told the Rheinischen Post before a conference call with the transport ministers of the federal states. To reduce the risk, more freight traffic needs to be shifted from waterways to rail and road, the minister emphasized.

The federal government and the states intended to coordinate further steps. He assumed that the drought issue would persist at least until the end of August.

DB praised Bilger for its swift action and additional capacity provision, including more wagons whose numbers should continue to rise. The construction industry, however, views the supply situation much more critically. "Supply bottlenecks for first construction materials are already announced by suppliers in case the situation persists for longer," said Tim-Oliver Müller, CEO of the Main Association of the German Construction Industry (HDB).

While no current construction site stops are expected, the longer and more severe the low water phase persists, the greater the risk of bottlenecks, higher logistics costs, and delays. Developing waterways as a future measure, Bilger advocated for an expansion of Germany's rivers. "We need to develop the waterways to ensure greater reliability in the long run," the CDU politician told RND.

Trust in barge traffic could only exist if low water problems were not regularly occurring. The waterway was the most environmentally friendly mode of transport and deserved support. Bilger also pledged to advocate for the full funding of ships suitable for low water. The budget for 2027 was halved due to budgetary reasons from 36 million euro.

This concern was to be brought into the parliamentary budget consultations, said Bilger. Nature conservation associations criticize such an expansion due to often dramatic ecological consequences. Bilger wants to discuss the matter with these environmental associations.