{
  "id": 11911037,
  "title": "Schifffahrt: Neue Niedrigwasser-Rekorde am Rhein – jetzt droht der Wirtschaft die teuerste Phase",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/04/schifffahrt-neue-niedrigwasser-rekorde-am-rhein-jetzt-droht-der",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-04T10:55:55.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Handelsblatt",
    "slug": "handelsblatt",
    "url": "https://www.handelsblatt.com/unternehmen/industrie/industrie-neue-niedrigwasser-rekorde-jetzt-droht-die-teuerste-phase/100258244.html"
  },
  "original_language": "de",
  "account": "Low-water records on the Rhine have led to what may be the costliest phase for German industry, as companies face increasingly difficult logistical challenges. At Kaub, a crucial point on the Middle Rhine, the water level dropped below zero for the first time in September, reaching minus six centimeters at the start of October. This poses a significant challenge, as Kaub is the critical bottleneck on the Rhine. A Handelsblatt survey of companies and industry associations reveals that the logistical effort required by corporations is growing larger. Chemical companies are using specialized low-water ships, shifting transports to rail and trucks, and reserves of these backup systems are diminishing, leading to higher freight costs and supply bottlenecks. Unusually low river levels have been affecting German rivers since early June, and it is no longer just the depth of daily water levels that matters, but the length of this exceptional situation. At Kaub, only isolated freight ships can pass, and even low-water ships can now only load 20-25% of their maximum capacity. In the better-developed Lower Rhine, this may be up to 30%. The cost calculation is simple but expensive: if a ship can only load a quarter of its usual cargo, it requires four trips for the same quantity. A 110-meter-long inland vessel carries approximately the same cargo as 150 trucks, and neither road nor rail has enough free capacity to absorb larger volumes permanently. The stretch between St. Goar and Kaub is particularly critical, as the waterway is shallower than in the Lower Rhine. Heavy goods such as chemicals, steel, mineral oils, building materials, agricultural products, and containers are affected. BASF, a chemical company, is already experiencing supply bottlenecks. The company explicitly calls for political special measures, such as suspending the Sunday driving ban for trucks. North Rhine-Westphalia has extended this exemption until the end of October, citing the risk of supply chain interruptions and production stops due to low water. Recovery is not in sight. Hydrologist and climate expert Harald Kunstmann says, \"Normal autumn rain is not enough for a rapid recovery.\" The southern region, where the Danube and Rhine originate, still has a significant precipitation deficit. Kunstmann emphasizes that the evidence suggests this is a structural problem. The frachtrates are also rising. BASF monitors the water level developments closely. While barge transports could be largely maintained by using more low-water ships, the long low-water phase has already led to supply bottlenecks in some cases. Freight rates initially increase due to fewer loads per ship, and reeferies charge additional low-water surcharges. As the low-water situation persists and deepens, costs for each ton will rise further. Low-water surcharges were previously paid at certain levels, but at Kaub, which is currently very low, there is no regular surcharge, only a \"free agreement,\" meaning the price is negotiated individually because transporting by barge has become economically unviable at these water levels. Logistics provider Contargo warns that regular barge connections on the Oberrhine, Middle Rhine, and Rhine-Main region may need to be temporarily suspended. Even gasoline, diesel, heating oil, and kerosene are transported in large quantities via the Rhine. The En2x economic association notes that the situation is strained, stating that while tank stations and other consumers' supply is not yet limited, \"no ships are sailing\" on some routes. The Kaub bottleneck has even become impassable for some vessels. Some companies are diverting as much transport as possible to rail and road, but rail capacities are limited. Four freight trains or 188 tank trucks are needed instead of one large inland vessel. The situation could potentially lead to production issues. According to the German Federal Water Management Agency, the chances of a significant rise in the Kaub water level will only return around mid-October. \"At least until then, the strained situation will continue,\" says Robert Norpoth, an expert at the Prognos economic research institute. It is likely that the fundamental conditions for economic damage will persist until at least then.",
  "summary": "Der Rhein erreicht historische Tiefstände – und der Aufwand für Chemie- und Mineralölkonzerne wird immer größer. Eine Handelsblatt-Umfrage zeigt, wie groß das Problem für die Industrie ist.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}