The Rhine River has reached the lowest water levels yet recorded at the German-Dutch border, according to the latest data from the Netherlands’ Rijkswaterstaat.
Low water levels, caused by heatwaves and consistent dry weather, have disrupted shipping in the region for weeks and are expected to get lower.
Germany’s federal waterways agency WSV said the navigable depth at Kaub, a key chokepoint, was 29cm early on Thursday and were forecast to fall to 26cm between Thursday and Monday. Vessels generally need a navigable depth of 1.5m at Kaub to sail fully loaded.
Vessels have been forced to lighten their load due to the shallow waters.
Roberto Spranzi, the director of the German DTG shipping cooperative, says cargo ships were carrying 20% of their full load. That meant four to five times as many ships were needed to transport usual cargo volumes, bringing an unwelcome extra surcharge for cargo owners.
The cost of tanker barge transport from Rotterdam to Karlsruke, Germany, has risen to around $170 (R2 800) a ton from $52 at the end of June, commodity traders say.
This comes as Germany falls behind in Europe’s economic recovery. Europe’s largest economy experienced two-consecutive years of economic contraction in 2023 and 2024 and 2025’s GDP growth was a mere 0.2%. Other eurozone countries, like Spain, Greece and Portugal, have outperformed on the upside in recent quarterly data.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development reported in April that “after a decade of strong export-led growth”, the German economy had been hit by Covid, the Ukraine conflict and rising trade tension.
The Rhine is an important shipping route for key commodities, including grains, minerals, ores, coal and petrol. The effect of supply bottlenecks will be felt across Germany and the wider European economy.
The Rhine is not the only to have been affected by Europe’s record heatwaves. The Danube River, for example, reached its lowest levels around Budapest since 1996.
“We expect that, due to climate change, these kinds of conditions will occur increasingly often,” a spokesperson for Rijkswaterstaat said.
- The Rhine River has hit record low water levels at the German-Dutch border, disrupting shipping due to heatwaves and dry weather.
- Navigable depth at Kaub, a crucial chokepoint, dropped to 29cm and is forecasted to fall to 26cm, far below the 1.5m needed for fully loaded vessels.
- Cargo ships are operating at 20% capacity, requiring four to five times more trips, increasing transport costs and surcharges for cargo owners.
- Transport costs from Rotterdam to Karlsruhe have surged from $52 to around $170 per ton since June, impacting commodity trade.
- The Rhine's low water levels contribute to supply bottlenecks in Germany and Europe, with climate change expected to increase such disruptions; similar conditions affect other rivers like the Danube.
