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Published on: 04/08/2026 - 11:50 Modified on: 04/08/2026 - 11:52
The level of the Rhine has broken a historic record low. On this essential route for the European economy, barges sail at reduced load, making the transport of raw materials more expensive and posing a new threat to German industry. Explanations.
1,230 kilometers long, the Rhine is Europe's main inland waterway. Every year, nearly 180 million tonnes of goods pass between Rotterdam and Germany's industrial heartland. But the drought upsets this well-oiled mechanism.
In Kaub (Rhineland-Palatinate), Germany, the main reference point for navigation, the river level has fallen to a historically low level, forcing barges to drastically reduce their loading. Some barges capable of transporting more than 5,000 tonnes can only carry around 800 tonnes, which extends delivery times and increases logistics costs.
All of Europe concerned
The first to be affected are the giants of German industry, such as BASF, Covestro, Evonik and Thyssenkrupp, whose factories depend on the Rhine for their supplies. Already in 2018, economists estimated that low water had reduced German growth by around 0.2 points of GDP.
The phenomenon now goes beyond the Rhine alone: the Danube, the Rhône and the Saône also display exceptionally low levels. In Hungary, drought even threatens the only nuclear power plant – which provides 40% of the country's electricity – with a total shutdown, illustrating the growing consequences of climate change on European strategic infrastructure.
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