Affected by continued high temperatures and little rain, the water level in Kaub, an important shipping node in the middle reaches of the Rhine River in Germany, fell to a historic low. Although cargo ships are still passable, due to the shallower waterways, ships have been drastically reduced in load, and transportation costs have increased. As the “main artery” of industrial transportation in Germany, changes in the water level of the Rhine are affecting the supply chains of energy, chemicals, steel and other industries.

Affected by continued high temperatures and little rain, the water level in Kaub, an important shipping node in the middle reaches of the Rhine River in Germany, fell to a historic low. Although cargo ships are still passable, due to the shallower waterways, ships have been drastically reduced in load, and transportation costs have increased. As the “main artery” of industrial transportation in Germany, changes in the water level of the Rhine are affecting the supply chains of energy, chemicals, steel and other industries.