Record low water at Kaub restricts Rhine barge shipping
Day 44 since 2026-08-01 (August 2026). The latest daily data for this event is not available in this build.
Key facts
- Day
- 44 (as of 2026-09-13 (13 September 2026))
- Started
- 2026-08-01 (August 2026)
- Severity
- 3 Significant
- Chokepoints
- None
- Ports
- Rotterdam
- Lanes
- None
- Severity basis: Barge passage at the Rhine's shallowest point, Kaub, was reported effectively blocked in mid-August 2026, a restriction on the main inland route to Rotterdam; no measured port series covers inland barge traffic, so this is an editor judgment.
Recent developments
- Maersk warns that barge transport on the Rhine may become operationally unfeasible and publishes low water surcharges and a level below which loading is not guaranteed.
- Levels at Kaub are reported at the lowest since records began in 1880, with a shipping broker saying barges cannot pass in either direction and companies shifting cargo to rail and road, and forecasters saying the problem could last into October.
Full record with sources, cause and measured effect. All ongoing disruptions.