Critical Rhine level: shipping and industry in acute danger!

Critical Rhine level: shipping and industry in acute danger!

Kaub, Deutschland - The Rhine fights the drought: persistent drought leads to falling water levels, which severely restrict shipping. According to the current reports from hessenschau.de fell under 80 cm, which means that that means that Ships can only ride with reduced loads. Shipping experts warn that it is not just a temporary situation; As long as the rain fails, the situation is expected to remain tense.

"We are already seeing the stones in the water," explains a spokesman for the Rhine of Bingen from Bingen, and indicates that the first affected ships are the cabin ships. These are most affected by the falling water levels, which means that the journeys have to be severely restricted.

economic effects

The economic consequences are noticeable: ships are forced to reduce their load. Instead of a transport volume of 3,000 tons in the past, several ships are now necessary to transport the same total weight, which strongly influences the flow of goods. Port master Detlef Bour from Duisburg cannot remember such early low water levels and sees the situation critically. The transport flows of Dutch and Belgian seaports to Duisburg still work, but not without restrictions, which increases the time and cost for companies.

The historical comparison is particularly alarming: The Rhine reached a low in 2018 after a long dry summer, which is now apparently reached again. The climate expert: Inside, warn that such extreme low water periods could occur more often in the future, driven by heat, drought and the missing snowfall in winter, such as Tagesschau.de explained.

ecological challenges

But not only shipping is affected. Low water levels have significant disadvantages for the Rhine ecosystem. Flat water and higher temperatures make the oxygen exchange difficult and can pose a threat to fish and other aquatic creatures. Sensitive species suffer when the conditions in the water remain unfavorable in the long term. This has already led to enormous ecological problems in the past.

The hunger stones that were visible on Worms are a warning sign of the climate crisis and are reminiscent of times when the water was just as deep. They are not only historical relics, but also represent current challenges. Increasing low water also means that wastewater from sewage treatment plants is less diluted, which increases the pollutant concentration in the water and endanger the health of the entire Rhine ecosystem.

Overall, it is a multifaceted picture that draws the developments around the Rhine: an interplay of meteorology, economy and ecology, which urgently requires a collective effort to effectively counter the challenges of climate change, as the latest reports from zdf.de and Tageschau.de illustrate.