Germany’s main industry lobby group warned Tuesday that plunging water levels in the Rhine River are making it harder to transport cargo.
All across Europe, rivers are succumbing to the ever-present heat and drought that is reducing once mighty rivers to trickles of their former selves. In France, the Loire can now be crossed on foot, while in Italy, the Po River is running two meters lower than normal.
As it is with many countries in Europe, the Russian invasion of Ukraine created supply shortages and higher prices, not to mention fuel problems for energy. But for nations dependent on their river systems for the transport of supplies and goods, the excessive heat and lack of precipitation has been terrible to bear.
Driven by climate breakdown, an unusually dry winter and spring followed by record-breaking summer temperatures and repeated heatwaves have left Europe’s essential waterways under-replenished and, increasingly, overheated.
CTV News Canada is reporting that on Tuesday, the Rhine’s level at Emmerich, near the Dutch border, dropped by a further four centimeters (1.6 inches) in 24 hours, hitting zero on the depth gauge.
The record low measurement Tuesday morning highlights the extreme lack of water caused by months of drought affecting much of Europe. “The ongoing drought and the low water levels threaten the supply security of industry,” said Holger Loesch, deputy head of the BDI business lobby group.
Loesch said shifting cargo from the river to train or transport was difficult because of limited rail capacity and a lack of drivers.
“It’s only a question of time before facilities in the chemical and steel industry have to be switched off, petroleum and construction materials won’t reach their destination, and high-capacity and heavy-goods transports can’t be carried out anymore,” he said, adding that this could lead to supply bottlenecks and short-time work might result.
Germany’s weather service has forecast heavy rain toward the end of the week that could provide some relief to river shipping companies.
