River transport disrupted in Germany
The drop in water levels in the Rhine, which is one of the longest rivers in Europe with a length of 1,233 kilometers and is critical for transportation, also disrupted transportation. Ships had to unload cargo in order to move forward. In the city of Kaub, in Heinland-Palatinate state, where the river passes, the water level dropped to 40 centimeters on Friday. The water level must be approximately 1.5 meters in order for the ships to set out with full load. According to the Waterways and Maritime Administration, this rate will continue to decrease in the coming days.
No coal transport in rivers
The drop in the water level in the river also made it difficult to transport coal. The distribution of the cargo that had to be transported among many ships with the decrease of the water level increased the transportation cost. In Germany, where there were great problems in energy supply after the sanctions imposed on Moscow due to the Russia-Ukraine war, coal was planned to be transported from the river by ships for power plants. However, coal going to power plants will be transported by rail, as the low water level prevents the transport of coal.
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