Rhine at Record Low as Heatwave Forces Cargo Onto Land Routes

Germany's Rhine river, a critical artery for European freight, has sunk to a new record low, according to data from the country's inland navigation agency WSV. The gauge at the narrow passage of Kaub near Koblenz registered just 6 centimetres late on Friday, dipping further to 8 centimetres early Saturday. This surpasses the previous record of 25 centimetres set in 2018 and marks a sharp decline from the 10 centimetres recorded just a day earlier.

The gauge reading, which sits about a metre above the actual riverbed, has not been above the 78-centimetre mark since mid-July. That threshold is significant: economists at the Kiel Institute for the World Economy note that when the Kaub gauge stays below 78 centimetres for 30 consecutive days—as happened in 2018 and 2022—industrial production typically contracts by 1 percent.

With water levels this low, most cargo has been shifted to trucks and trains. The Rhine is one of Europe's most vital transport corridors, moving chemicals, commodities, fuel, and other goods. German companies are already reporting disruptions, with chemical producers, utilities, steelmakers, and agricultural traders warning of higher costs, transport bottlenecks, and reduced output as the heatwave continues to grip the continent.