Water levels on the Rhine River in Germany have dropped again due to dry weather, causing cargo shipping costs to rise. The transport price for tanker transport from Rotterdam to Karlsruhe jumped to €165-€170 per ton on Friday, up from around €100 last week. According to the inland navigation agency WSV, water levels at Kaub near Koblenz were around 21 cm on Friday, down from 34 cm on Monday and 50 cm last week. The agency expects no major improvement in river water levels for the coming week.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-11,
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Story summary
Water levels in the Rhine river in Germany have dropped again due to dry weather, causing transport prices to rise. The inland navigation agency WSV reported that the water level at the chokepoint of Kaub near Koblenz was around 21 cm on Friday, down from 34 cm on Monday and 50 cm last week. This has led to cargo ships sailing with less cargo, which is increasing transport costs, particularly for tanker transport between Rotterdam and Karlsruhe. Prices have jumped to about €165-€170 ($191.43-$197.23) a ton, up from around €100 last week. The low water levels are affecting the shipping industry, causing higher transport costs, logistics bottlenecks, and curbed production for German companies.
Written for “European River Shipping Crisis” on 2026-09-12,
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No political leaning scored for article 8021 · logged 2026-09-11
Cargo shipping costs rise as Rhine water levels drop again
HAMBURG, Sept 11 -
asserted
levels → rise → ?
Water levels in the Rhine in Germany have fallen again this week after mostly dry weather, the country’s inland navigation agency said on Friday, with commodity traders reporting rising costs for cargo shipping.
asserted
traders → fall → shipping
• German companies suffered from low Rhine water levels this summer, with the industry facing higher transport costs, logistics bottlenecks and curbed production.
asserted
industry → suffer → costs
• Mostly dry weather this week in river catchment areas means levels have dropped again, with vessels sailing part-loaded, commodity traders said.
asserted
traders → mean → areas
More freight has been transferred to road and railway transport, but the river is holding above record-low levels in August.
asserted
river → transfer → August
• Transport prices are rising as vessels are sailing with less cargo and loads must be spread around several ships.
asserted
loads → rise → ships
Prices for tanker transport from Rotterdam to Karlsruhe jumped to about €165-€170 ($191.43-$197.23) a ton on Friday, up from around €100 last week.
asserted
Prices → jump → 100
• Inland navigation agency WSV said the navigable water gauge at the chokepoint of Kaub near Koblenz was around 21 cm on Friday, down from 34 cm on Monday and 50 cm last week.
asserted
gauge → say → Monday
The Rhine at Kaub fell below 10 cm in mid-August, below the previous lowest recorded level of 25 centimetres in 2018.
asserted
Rhine → fall → 2018
• The WSV said that no major improvement in river water levels is expected in the coming week but some expected rain could keep the river stable around current levels.
uncertain
rain → say → levels
• Germany and several other European countries endured successive heatwaves and scant rainfall this summer, pushing down water levels in waterways such as the Rhine, a vital shipping route for grain, metal ores, coal and refined oil products.
asserted
Germany → endure → grain
