A boat is pictured on the shallow Rhine river near Oestrich Winkel, western Germany, on Aug. 12, as the water level passed below 40 centimeters, making ship transport increasingly difficult. - AFPPIX: Low water levels on the River Rhine due to this summer’s record drought have led German policymakers and industry to launch a Low Water Action Plan, according to the Ministry for Digital and Transport .
River shipping in Germany has been significantly affected by the drought which has hit Europe in recent weeks, with new record low water levels recorded at many measuring stations. “We face an immense logistical challenge,“ Wissing underlined. During a previous record drought in 2018, freight transport volumes on German inland waterways plummeted by more than a third. This year, water levels have started to rise again, but the historically difficult autumn months are yet to come.