Rhine water level continues to drop: Cologne reports new record low

Emmerich: Float dry, probe supplies data

Water levels are also declining at the other important measuring stations along the Rhine. In Düsseldorf and Duisburg-Ruhrort, the major hubs for inland shipping in North Rhine-Westphalia, the nautical depth of the navigation channel is increasingly becoming a problem. The responsible authorities are monitoring the development closely.

The low water has immediate consequences for shipping. Many freight vessels can only operate with reduced cargo or must avoid individual sections of the route because the navigation channel no longer consistently has the required depth. This increases the logistical pressure on alternative modes of transport such as rail and road.

Consequences for shipping and the economy

Economic effects are already being felt. Goods that are normally transported by inland vessel along the Rhine, such as building materials, coal, containers, or fuels, become more expensive when capacity is reduced or routes are diverted. Observers also point to possible consequences for the supply of power plants and industrial operations that depend on cooling or process water from the river.

The authorities are reserved about the exact background of the current low-water phase. They point to the overall hydrological situation, to which not only precipitation in the catchment area but also the discharge from the tributaries contributes. The Rhine reacts as a comparatively sluggish system to changes in the upper catchment area.

Background and context

NRW and North Rhine-Westphalia, as the federal state with the gauges mentioned, are particularly affected, as central sections of the navigable Rhine are located here. According to their own statements, the state authorities are in close exchange with the federal government, the waterway and shipping administration, and the port operators to coordinate the situation.

The Cologne gauge is considered one of the most important reference points for the Middle Rhine. A new record low there has a signal effect beyond the region, because it clearly illustrates the bottlenecks for shipping on one of Europe's busiest inland waterways.