October 1st, 2026 – Water levels at Germany’s key Kaub gauge on the Rhine River have fallen below the station’s zero-reference point for the first time, severely restricting loaded barge traffic along one of Europe’s most important transportation corridors.
The Kaub gauge in the Middle Rhine measured minus 1 centimeter on Wednesday, improving slightly from minus 3 cm over the weekend. While a negative reading does not mean the river has dried up, it indicates that the water surface has fallen below the gauge’s established zero-reference point, leaving conditions too shallow for loaded barges to navigate the area.
Barge transportation on the Rhine has faced increasing pressure since July as persistent dry weather has steadily reduced navigable water levels. Barges passing Kaub typically require at least 40 cm above the zero-reference point to operate at roughly one-quarter of their normal capacity.
Low-water conditions are also affecting other points along the Rhine. Water levels have been measured at minus 27 cm at Emmerich, between 118 and 124 cm at Duisburg-Ruhrort, and between 40 and 51 cm at Cologne.
Multimodal barge operator Contargo has advised customers that its transport obligations are suspended when water levels fall to or below 30 cm at Emmerich, 180 cm at Duisburg-Ruhrort, 105 cm at Cologne, and 80 cm at Kaub. The company is continuing to make efforts to move containers where conditions allow.
Rising Costs and Capacity Constraints
Where barge transportation remains possible, shallow drafts are significantly limiting vessel capacity and increasing costs. Low-water surcharges rise as river levels decline, adding further expense for importers and exporters.
At Kaub, once water levels dropped below 40 cm, Contargo began applying a surcharge of €1,280 per FEU, approximately $1,451USD. Hapag-Lloyd has also implemented a low-water surcharge of approximately $1,350 per FEU for affected cargo.
The carrier has advised customers that draft restrictions continue to impact Rhine barge transportation and that its low-water pass-through surcharge will remain in effect for import and export cargo until conditions improve. If water levels continue to fall, barge transportation could become operationally unviable on affected portions of the river.
The prolonged low-water conditions are also raising concerns within Europe’s petrochemical industry. Severely restricted barge loadings are increasing delivered costs and could tighten supply chains heading into the fourth quarter.
The Rhine serves as a critical transportation link between the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp port region and major German chemical production centers, including Ludwigshafen, Cologne, Leverkusen, and Wesseling.
Although cargo continues to move where possible, barges are carrying only a fraction of their normal capacity. As a result, chemical and container shippers are increasingly turning to rail and truck transportation, which can come at significantly higher costs and place additional pressure on inland logistics networks.
