The water levels on the Rhine in Germany have risen sharply after the latest rainfall, but remain too shallow in the northern sections for fully loaded cargo ships, traders report today on Monday. The river fell below normal in late April after dry weather.
Heavy rain in the past week has brought most of the river back to normal. But the Rhine is still too flat for normal trips around Cologne, traders said.
Shallow water means that ship operators impose surcharges on freight rates, which increases the costs for cargo owners.
The Rhine is an important shipping route for raw materials such as grain, minerals, coal and oil products including heating oil.
German companies had to contend with supply shortages and production problems in 2018 after drought and heat waves led to unusually low water levels on the Rhine.
Source
Hansa Terminhandel GmbH
