Transport ministers of federal and state governments discuss low water conditions

Federal Transport Minister Volker Bilger convened a video conference today with the heads of transport ministries from the states to discuss the effects of the ongoing low water levels on the Rhine and other rivers. The ministers are deliberating on immediate measures to address the declining water levels in inland shipping.

The Rhine is currently experiencing historically low water levels, leading to bottlenecks in freight logistics. During the conference, particular focus will be on handling certain goods that can no longer be stored in ports, as Bilger noted in his comments.

Bilger also called for further expansion of waterways in Germany to sustainably strengthen inland shipping. He emphasized that only a reliable waterway network can ensure trust in inland shipping, to avoid regularly facing low water challenges in the future.

The conference takes place against a backdrop of growing concerns about further bottlenecks occurring in August. The discussions aim to develop short-term solutions to improve the situation for the affected transport routes.