The water level of the Rhine has risen in Germany, but shipping remains restricted
Kyiv • UNN
The level of the Rhine near Kaub rose to 72 cm after the rains, but about 1.5 meters is needed for vessels to be fully loaded. By the end of the week, the water level may fall again.
The water level in the Rhine River in Germany has risen sharply after recent rains, but shipping is still difficult. Vessels can already carry more cargo, but the water level still does not allow them to operate at full capacity. Reuters reports, UNN writes.
Details
According to the WSV, on Monday the water level at the gauge station in Kaub, near Koblenz, was about 72 cm, compared with 60 cm on Friday. In mid-August, the level fell below 10 cm — significantly lower than the previous record low of 25 cm recorded in 2018.
For reference
WSV is Germany’s Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration.
Additional information
Despite the improvement, vessels continue to operate with reduced loads. For fully loaded shipping, the water level in Kaub needs to be around 1.5 metres.
Cargo has to be distributed among several vessels, increasing costs for industry. A significant share of freight transport has also been redirected to road and rail.
Rain is forecast this week, but any improvement will depend on how much precipitation actually falls
The WSV forecasts that the water level in the river may fall again toward the end of this week, although it is expected to remain significantly higher than at the beginning of August.
This summer, Germany and other European countries experienced a series of heatwaves and a lack of precipitation, which led to falling water levels on waterways such as the Rhine — an important route for transporting grain, minerals, coal and petroleum products.
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