The river Rhine is set to rise slightly from current low water levels after unexpectedly heavy rain in southern Germany, the inland navigation agency said on Wednesday. This increase in water levels will bring some relief to cargo owners who have been facing higher transport costs due to the shallow water.
Impact on Transport Costs
Shallow water after this summer’s heatwave and scarce rainfall means cargo vessels are only able to sail partly loaded on the river, increasing costs for cargo owners. The cost of tanker barge transport from Rotterdam to Karlsruhe has risen to around €90-€100 ($102.81-$114.23) a ton from around €60-€70 at the start of this week and €45 at the end of June, traders said.
The Rhine is an important shipping route for commodities such as grains, minerals, ores, coal and oil products, including petrol. German companies faced supply bottlenecks and production problems in 2022 after a drought and heatwave led to unusually low Rhine water levels.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
