At Kaub, Germany, the Rhine river gauge fell below zero at the end of September 2026. This is the reference gauge for draught levels on the Middle Rhine between Bingen and Mainz, and the reading is a sign of exceptionally low water that has brought the river to its lowest levels since measurements began. On 28 September, the situation prompted the German states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate to extend from 30 September to 31 October 2026 the suspension of the Sunday and public holiday driving ban for heavy goods vehicles engaged in transport linked to the low-water crisis.
The record at Kaub follows a deterioration that has continued for months. The previous historical low of 25 centimetres, recorded in 2018, had already been surpassed on 5 August. Further downstream, Cologne fell to 40 centimetres, also a new record low, while Düsseldorf and Duisburg-Ruhrort reached their lowest readings since observations began. On 30 September, the gauge at Worms, on the Upper Rhine, was also showing minus 30 centimetres. It should be stressed that a zero or negative reading does not mean that the river has completely dried up, but refers to the water level relative to the gauge’s conventional reference point. For shipping operators, however, it still means shallower water in the navigable channel and increasingly restricted permitted draughts. Low river levels in Germany are not confined to the Rhine: BALM, Germany’s Federal Office for Logistics and Mobility, reports repercussions across the inland waterway system, including the Danube and Elbe.
The situation has been caused by this year’s drought and repeated heatwaves. A statement from North Rhine-Westphalia explains that vessels can carry only a fraction of their normal loads and warns that, without greater flexibility for road transport, there remains a tangible risk of production stoppages and supply-chain disruption. Companies are responding by using more vessels, shifting part of their traffic to rail and road, or designing vessels capable of operating in shallower water. All these solutions, however, increase costs. The Rhine, which runs for around 1,290 kilometres from Switzerland to the North Sea, carries coal, petroleum products and iron ore, while chemical plants, refineries and steelworks are concentrated along its banks. No substantial improvement is expected in the short term, although forecasts from Germany’s Federal Institute of Hydrology indicate some chance of rainfall and signs of rising water levels in the first few days of October.
In Germany, the standard driving ban for heavy goods vehicles applies on Sundays and public holidays from midnight until 10pm and covers vehicles with a gross weight of more than 7.5 tonnes as well as all vehicles towing trailers. The exemption applies to transport operations and empty runs directly or indirectly connected with the effects of low water levels, and therefore does not amount to a general lifting of the holiday driving ban. BALM specifies that hauliers must be able to plausibly demonstrate the connection between each journey and the river crisis, and recommends keeping the relevant documentation on board. Drivers’ hours and rest-time rules remain unchanged. Responsibility for exemptions lies with the individual German states, each of which sets its own conditions. The Federal Office confirms that similar temporary measures have also been adopted by Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hesse, Lower Saxony, Saarland, Berlin, Brandenburg, Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein. North Rhine-Westphalia Transport Minister Oliver Krischer has linked the emergency to the need for a federal programme to renew the inland shipping fleet, encouraging more efficient vessels better suited to recurring periods of low water.
The consequences of the low water became particularly visible on 28 September on the Rhine at Düsseldorf, when Terra 2, a Dutch vessel carrying commercial vehicles, ran aground in the port area because of the low water level. A Duisburg police spokesman said the incident did not obstruct navigation in the area and the vessel, chartered by Mosolf, was subsequently freed. According to a company spokesman, the ship is unloading the vehicles at a nearby loading station and is expected to resume its journey on Wednesday, 30 September.
Antonio Illariuzzi
