A drone picture shows the banks of the Rhine River during a period of low water level in Cologne. REUTERS/Stephane Nitschke
By Eamon Akil Farhat, Rachel Graham and Sasha Draeger-Mazer, Bloomberg
Water levels on the Rhine River are dwindling further, with no relief in sight, forcing companies that rely on the waterway to adjust rapidly to keep goods flowing.
Levels at Kaub, Germany — the Rhine’s shallowest point — have fallen to the lowest since records began in 1880, and could drop further as another heat wave bakes Europe this week. Forecasters say it would take weeks of sustained rain to lift the river toward more normal levels, meaning the crisis could drag on into October.
The Rhine is a key shipping route through Europe’s industrial heartland, from Switzerland to Rotterdam, the continent’s busiest port. The disruption along the waterway is throwing up supply chain challenges for companies ranging from steelmaker Thyssenkrupp AG to BASF SE and Lanxess AG.
“Shipments by ship are severely restricted, with vessels carrying significantly lighter loads than usual,” specialty chemicals maker Lanxess said Tuesday in response to questions from Bloomberg. “As certain loading and unloading points are no longer accessible, we are switching to rail and road transport where possible. The situation is highly dynamic.”