Low Water on the Rhine: Kaub Gauge Drops into Single Digits

Kaub as a Bottleneck for Inland Shipping

The German Federal Association of Inland Shipping (BDB) does not see the supply of companies along the Rhine as acutely at risk, according to its own statements. BDB staff member Jens Schwanen told the Rheinische Post at the beginning of the week that shipping traffic would not come to a complete halt even in the event of a theoretical division of the Rhine. He pointed to an existing connection between the North Sea ports of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Antwerp and the Cologne region via the western German canal network, which could absorb at least some of the transports.

At the same time, Schwanen acknowledged that the capacities of these alternative routes are limited and that longer transport times and higher costs would result. For many companies along the Rhine that rely on bulk goods such as coal, petroleum, building materials, or chemical products, a phase of low water would be a noticeable burden. Traffic to the Moselle confluence near Koblenz is also among the bottlenecks affected by extreme low water.

Alternative Routes via the Western German Canal Network

The authorities have been monitoring developments at the Kaub gauge and at the lock facilities with heightened attention for days. Shipping operators must adjust their sailing depths daily to the reported values, and many vessels are only permitted to sail with reduced loads. In the low-water years of 2018, 2022, and 2023, similar gauge levels had led to weeks of restrictions and put supply chains in Germany under considerable pressure.

Industry representatives emphasize that a short-term political solution to the lack of rainfall is not possible. In the medium term, discussions are being held about investments in waterway infrastructure, climate adaptation measures, and improved data collection along the Rhine. As long as rainfall remains absent, the Rhine will remain a risk for German industry.

According to the BDB, how long the current low-water phase will last cannot currently be foreseen. In addition to the Kaub gauge, the association is also monitoring the situation at the tributaries and along the other federal waterways in order to be able to react quickly if conditions worsen further. At the same time, Schwanen advocated making better use of existing alternative routes and easing potential bottlenecks between the ports and the canal network.

Economic Consequences Not Yet Foreseeable

Meanwhile, concern is growing among freight forwarders and industry associations on the Middle Rhine that a phase lasting several weeks with a single-digit gauge could further burden the already strained economy. Several logistics companies have already notified their customers of additional costs and longer transit times should the situation worsen. Official tonnage regulations or restrictions for certain vessel types are being discussed in the industry as a realistic scenario for the coming days.

Should the gauge at Kaub actually remain in single digits for an extended period, observers assess this as a new stage of the low-water crisis on the Rhine. Experience from recent years shows that the economic consequences – from rising transport costs to production relocations – only become visible with a delay, but can then have an impact over several quarters.