Shipping disrupted as Rhine and Danube hit historic water levels

The River Rhine has fallen to record low levels in several locations across Germany and the Netherlands, as a relentless series of heatwaves continues to grip Europe, pushing temperatures above 40C in many central and southern countries and exacerbating drought conditions that have left the continent's vital waterways at critical junctures. Last week, water levels measured in Cologne in western Germany and at Lobith, where the Rhine crosses from Germany into the Netherlands, were lower than at any point since records began, according to authorities. The Rhine, which rises in the Swiss Alps and empties into the North Sea, is one of Europe's busiest waterways, and its diminishing depth has sparked mounting concerns about the economic fallout of restricted navigation and shipping, with cargo vessels facing severe limitations on their loading capacity.

The situation is mirrored across other major European rivers. The Danube, which flows through ten countries, and Italy's Po river have also registered record lows, with drought conditions remaining stable and critical across most of Europe and worsening in central-western Europe in mid-July, according to the EU's Drought Observatories. Germany's Low Water Information System reported that 44 per cent of Rhine measuring stations and 78 per cent of those on the Danube had recorded extremely low water levels at the end of July. At the chokepoint of Kaub near Koblenz, the navigable water depth hit the 2018 record low of 25cm on Friday, before recovering slightly on Monday. The Kaub gauging station is a key indicator of navigability on the Rhine, as it measures how heavily cargo vessels can be loaded; low readings there can severely restrict inland shipping.

Martin Wolters of the Rhine Waterways and Shipping Authority told German outlet WDR that although shipping on the Rhine was unlikely to be suspended altogether, precautions would have to be taken, such as spreading cargo among more vessels to reduce their weight. In time, this could result in higher transport costs and supply bottlenecks, he warned. One commodity trader told Reuters: "There comes a time when loads are too small to be worthwhile or vessel owners are worried about damaging their ships." The economic implications are already being felt, with reduced shipping capacity threatening to disrupt supply chains across the continent.

The Danube, too, has suffered severely. Last week, its waters fell to their lowest levels for 30 years in several countries, including Serbia and Romania, leaving Hungary's only nuclear power plant on the brink of shutting down. The facility is operating at reduced capacity, and officials are monitoring whether it may need to be taken offline completely. The drought is also causing serious disruption to power supplies in Serbia and Romania. Serbia has cut output at its coal-fired power plants due to a lack of water disrupting cooling systems, while Romania carried out a controlled explosion on a large rock on the banks of the Danube to increase waterflow to the Cernavoda nuclear power plant. Two car plants in Romania, run by Dacia and Ford, have agreed to halt production for more than a fortnight to reduce electricity consumption.

Italy's longest river, the Po, hit a historic low near the northern city of Cremona in late July, prompting authorities to raise the drought alert level to "high" across the entire Po Valley. Experts have issued warnings about potential disruption to the drinking water supply, while lower river flows at the mouth of the Po have pushed saltwater from the sea into the riverbed, disrupting the ecosystem and causing serious issues for farmers who rely on the Po to irrigate their crops. The compounding effects of reduced freshwater availability and saltwater intrusion threaten agricultural production in one of Italy's most fertile regions.

A recent study by scientists at the World Weather Attribution group found that there had been no clear long-term trend towards lower rainfall across much of Europe. However, the researchers said that human-caused climate change was increasing evaporation of moisture through higher temperatures, making drought conditions more likely. The hot, dry weather has also increased demand for water for household, agricultural and industrial use, further straining resources. Prolonged periods of drought can also affect lake water levels, impacting the availability of freshwater resources. The EU's Copernicus climate service noted that the 2022 drought in Europe contributed to increased wildfire activity, which in turn drove higher than average carbon emissions. With renewed heatwave conditions forecast to persist for at least another week, the pressure on Europe's waterways and the communities and industries that depend on them shows little sign of abating.