Water levels in the Rhine, already at record lows in July, have continued to ebb, setting new records, canceling or altering cruises and crippling freight shipping that carries much of Germany’s heavy bulk cargo such as petroleum products.
In the central section, near Kaub, water levels of just one meter have been recorded; only specially-adapted shallow-draft vessels can pass that barrier, meaning that shipping from northern ports such as Rotterdam and Duisburg can’t reach southern sections of the river. Water levels are not expected to return to normal for perhaps another month, unless there is heavy rainfall over an extended period.
Aside from the cargo shipping, the popular Rhine river cruise business has been heavily affected, with a mixture of modifications, cancellations and ship swaps. Rhine cruises most often follow an itinerary between Amsterdam and Basel, but few have been able to follow the entire route. Viking is in a special position; it has a large fleet of identical ships. That has enabled it to swap all the passengers by bus between two ships that come as close as possible to opposite ends of the dry section.
To help alleviate the freight disruptions, Germany has suspended rules that ban trucks from Sunday operations and other restrictions, but that is not a long-term or full solution because it takes many trucks to carry the load of one freight barge.
Title Image: Geese on a dried-up section of riverbed
