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 Rhine levels cause trade bottleneck infographic
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DROUGHT

Rhine levels cause trade bottleneck

By Phil Bainbridge

August 12, 2022 - Dwindling water levels on the River Rhine are threatening to bring business along the route to a standstill, with central and Eastern European industry dependent on the waterway.

The Rhine has dried up to the point of becoming all but impassable at the key bottleneck at Kaub, west of Frankfurt, potentially disrupting the trade of coal and diesel and other raw materials throughout Europe, with Germany’s industrial heartland, the Ruhr, particularly reliant.

The water level at Kaub is set to drop below 40cm in the coming days, at which point barges will no longer be able to carry a full load, increasing the cost per unit of cargo and making it uneconomical.

Sources
PUBLISHED: 12/08/2022; STORY: Graphic News; PICTURES: Getty Images
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