Update August 5th 2026 | Low water levels on River Rhine
The continuing low water levels on the Rhine have already reached a critical level of impact, with further deterioration expected on the intermodal transport market in the coming weeks and months. As the Rhine is the most important inland waterway in Europe and a key corridor for container logistics between seaports and industrial regions in Germany, France and Switzerland, the operational impact is already clearly visible along large parts of the river.
Current assessments do not indicate a sustainable recovery of water levels in the short term.
As a consequence, existing challenges for containerized transport will intensify. The availability of container equipment is expected to decrease further, and on several Rhine sections, barge services are only possible with restrictions or must be suspended entirely.
Transport volumes are therefore increasingly being shifted to rail and road, where available capacity is limited and may reach operational limits at short notice.
In addition, due to the currently weak export market, transport operators may use more round-trip concepts to avoid empty runs. This can lead to reduced equipment availability for regular market demand. Longer transit times are also likely, as alternative transport modes cannot fully compensate for the missing inland waterway capacity.
Overall, it is anticipated that the situation in intermodal transport will remain strained in the near term. Early transport planning, clear communication between all parties involved and flexible routing concepts will be essential to maintain supply chain stability as far as possible under these conditions.
News from July 13th 2026 | Rhine Low Water Levels Trigger Capacity Constraints and Operational Surcharges
Due to the ongoing lack of rainfall, water levels along the Rhine are decreasing significantly. The key measuring point for inland waterway transport, Duisburg-Ruhrort, has recorded a continuous drop in recent days, with forecasts indicating values below 180 cm. Similar developments can occur along the entire Rhine, resulting in increasingly challenging navigation conditions throughout the river.
At low water levels, barges can only operate with reduced drafts and therefore must load fewer containers per voyage. To move the same transport volume, more barge trips are required. This results in higher operational costs per container. These additional costs are reflected in a low water surcharge applied by the barge operators and passed on to their customers.
The calculation of the surcharge is based on the water level measured at 05:00 on the day of departure at the relevant gauge. The surcharge is tiered by trade area and container size and can change at short notice if water levels continue to fall. The Rhine is divided into several sections, each with its own draft situation and corresponding surcharge level.
Please note that depending on the barge operator and the inland terminal, surcharges can differ. Consequently, the actual surcharge level for your transport may vary according to the routing and terminal used.
These surcharges apply to barge and barge–road transports used for pre- and on-carriage via the Rhine between seaports in the North Sea range and inland terminals in Germany, France and Switzerland.
For further information or any questions, please contact your FMS representative. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
