Rhine Water Levels Rise Sharply Following Recent Rainfall in Germany

Water levels on Germany’s river Rhine have risen sharply following recent rainfall, the national inland navigation agency said on Monday, though shipping hurdles remain despite vessels carrying increased cargo.

Historic lows earlier in August pushed up transport expenses, created logistics bottlenecks and restricted industrial output.

Inland navigation body WSV said the navigable gauge at the Kaub chokepoint near Koblenz stood at roughly 72 cm on Monday, rising from 60 cm on Friday.

The river fell below 10 cm in mid-August, lower than the previous record of 25 cm in 2018. The watercourse is about 1 metre deeper than the navigable depth.

Boats continue to travel partially laden, with a gauge measurement of approximately 1.5 metres at Kaub required for maximum loads.

Consequently, freight must be split between multiple vessels or moved to roads and railways, raising commercial costs.

“Some rain is forecast this week but any improvement will depend on how much actually falls,” one commodity trader said.

The WSV forecasts the river could fall later this week but is expected to stay well above early-August levels.

Germany and other European countries have endured successive heatwaves and limited rainfall this summer, pushing down water levels on waterways such as the Rhine, a vital shipping route for grain, minerals, coal and refined oil products.

The cost of river tanker freight from Rotterdam to Karlsruhe fell to about €100 to €110 ($116 to $128) a metric ton on Friday from more than €145 a ton in mid-August, a trader said.

The lack of rainfall this summer has worsened a long-term trend in Germany, which has lost 60 billion cubic metres of water over the past 25 years due to climate change, according to the environment ministry.

Without action, water scarcity could cost Germany €625 billion ($714 billion) by 2050, or around €25 billion annually, Environment Minister Carsten Schneider warned, citing studies.

This summer's conditions are raising concerns over the economy in the short term, said Carsten Brzeski, global head of macro at ING.

"The warm and dry summer weather has brought water levels in main transportation waterways to record low levels, potentially affecting industrial supply chains and activity in the construction sector," he said.