Parts of the Rhine River in southern Germany have remained closed to cargo shipping on Thursday, following heavy rain in the region over the weekend that raised water levels. However, the river is currently falling, and authorities expect it to reopen to shipping on Friday.
The German inland waterways navigation agency has reported that the Rhine river shipping is still stopped around Maxau in southern Germany. The river had been closed to freight shipping over the weekend after the heavy rain caused extensive flooding in the southern part of the country.
The high water warning center in the southern German state of Baden-Wuerttemberg has stated that the Rhine around Maxau is forecast to reopen to shipping on Friday. Meanwhile, shipping on the northern sections of the river, including the important points of Duisburg, Cologne, and Düsseldorf, is operating normally.
High water levels mean that vessels do not have enough space to sail under bridges, preventing them from reaching Switzerland. The Rhine is a crucial shipping route for commodities such as minerals, coal, oil products like heating oil, as well as grains and animal feed.
The Rhine has repeatedly suffered from low water levels in recent years due to unusually dry summers, which has impacted shipping on the river. This latest closure is a reminder of the vulnerabilities in the river’s water levels and the importance of the Rhine as a vital transportation artery for the German and European economies.