That is where there is one way traffic regulated with traffic lights. According to a daily bulletin by Germanys Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration, water levels on the key waterway were at an unusually low level for this point in the year, and was estimated to drop by a further 10-15cm over the coming three or four days. Kaub is right in the famous Rhine Gorge with all the castles and is the marker for the notorious stretch prone to low water issues when they happen. Flowing from the Swiss Alps to the North Sea via German industrial heartlands, the Rhine is a major route for products ranging from grains, to chemicals to coal. We are used to it. notamermaid, January 31, 2022 in River Cruising. Usually warm days, a valley in full bloom and long evenings with time for cocktails at sunset on the sun deck. I'm glad you reminded me about the cooler nights. Chemicals giant BASF (BASFn.DE) said on Friday it had so far avoided production cuts as a result of the disruption, and Thyssenkrupp (TKAG.DE), Europe's second-largest steelmaker, said its raw materials supply was secured. I would say come anyway but quite frankly on the Rhine it is dry, parched and other ships do not have much water either. "Normally you have more than two meters under the ship but now you only have 40 centimetres in some places," the Servia's captain Peter Claereboets told Reuters. Another World War II bomb has been unearthed. Reports from Brandenburg said several tons of dead fish washed up on the banks of the river in Brandenburg. . That was interesting. Kaub, the notorious spot for low water, is now actually a bit in the low side. The 800-mile (1,288-kilometer) Rhine river runs from Switzerland all the way to the North Sea and is used to transport tens of millions of tons of commodities through inland Europe. Europe's second-largest river is continuing to dry up, affecting freight barges and even forcing one passenger ferry to halt its operations entirely. In some places the Rhine was so shallow that other vessels were moored far below the quays where people walk. "The signs have been solidifying in recent days and are now doing so more and more there will be rain in the week beginning today, which will be a cause for great joy in some regions," Martin Jonas of the German Weather Service (DWD) said on Monday. But that is only of concern for the commercial shipping industry as it affects the loading capacity of vessels. The ship switch hasnt affected our enjoyment at all. A hot, dry summer has meant the water level on the Rhine River, Western Europe's most important waterway, is at a record low, making it too shallow for many ships to pass. Apart from one but that was a school party with "intrinsic hazard". So, 50 Fahrenheit is a good marker, nights can be colder, days are likely to be 50 or warmer. The most comprehensive solution to manage all your complex and ever-expanding tax and compliance needs. The island cuts the river in two here. "Customers are only ordering the supplies they really need to keep production going," he said. Anyway, in this logistics article they say and quote: "Closure of the German waterway was announced late on Friday as water levels on the Kaub gauge hit 37cm 41cm is necessary for operations" and "Barge operator Contargo said: For reasons of safety we shall largely discontinue our navigation on the Upper and Middle Rhine." The first is obviously not correct as barges are still sailing even as I write, but the second I have read in German myself. While 14-day weather forecasts predict rising water levels from the middle of next week, the administration said this was unlikely to have a significant impact. Hello to you and thanks for joining. German coal importers meanwhile hope river levels will rise soon to allow them to meet a demand that, as the war in Ukraine grinds on, shows no sign of abating. The challenge for packing this time is that I have a long driving trip prior to flying to Switzerland and so I need to be packed for the river cruise 6 days before I leave home in FL. The water level at Kaub near Frankfurt a key waypoint where the fairway is shallower than elsewhere on the river fell below 40cm on Friday afternoon, the level at which it is no longer economical for many barges to transit the river. As is the case with several cities and towns and their districts along the Rhine, Koblenz and Cologne spring to mind, Basel is also a city on both banks of the river. I understand when phone reps have no real clue regarding a certain itinerary, but I still think the communication could be better with their customers. It wasn't a bomb and it wasn't Medieval (or older) graves, so that leaves the third of the "archeologists' trinity" (my words): Roman walls! BERLIN, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Water levels on Germany's Rhine river are so low that some vessels cannot sail even when empty, a shipping cooperative said on Friday, although long-awaited rain. It is an important aspect on the Elbe according to AnhaltER1960. BERLIN, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Water levels on Germany's Rhine river are so low that some vessels cannot sail even when empty, a shipping cooperative said on Friday, although long-awaited rain has begun to ease bottlenecks on one of the country's main commercial routes. The levels of the Rhine River fell to a new low on Friday due to the ongoing drought in Germany and elsewhere in Europe, further restricting the distribution of coal, petrol, wheat and other commodities amid a looming energy crisis. Credit rating agency Moody's said the low Rhine water levels will increase costs for chemicals companies, particularly those with production facilities on the upper Rhine, and could lead to production cuts. A bigger deal and in a good context has been a find in Switzerland when the ground was prepared for the foundations of a new boat house. This week, the French energy supplier EDF said it was temporarily reducing output at its nuclear power stations on the rivers Rhne and Garonne as heatwaves restricted its ability to use river water to cool the plants. Viking longship drafts vary from 1.5 to 2 meters. We had to push and shove our way to disembark an Durnstein. Make Sure Your Voice Is Heard! The water level at Kaub, near Frankfurt, fell below 40cm on Friday afternoon. In Switzerland, i.e. Good. I was trying to explain that earlier. August 17, 2022 1:27 . Not sure you'll do much cruising there. The companies said their generation operations arent currently affected. In 2018, even lower water levels led to production problems and supply bottlenecks for German companies. "And then for us the challenge is to get past those points without touching, without damaging the ship.". Through the year we will look at. Ill see if I can upload an image. On 1/31/2022 at 2:57 PM, notamermaid said: On 2/26/2022 at 9:05 AM, notamermaid said: On 2/20/2022 at 7:50 PM, notamermaid said: 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. Rhine water levels 2022 and similar topics, Forum Assistance - Welcome to Cruise Critic, Announcement: Upgrade Your Horizon ~ Sponsored by Regent Seven Seas Cruises. And in Lake Constance, on the border with Switzerland and Austria, pleasure boats have been left stranded as water levels drop to lows not seen since 2003. The variables are very important to me. Fully loaded ships generally need a level of at least about 1.5 meters, but a persistent lack of rain and high temperatures have led to low water levels. Weeks of drought across Europe and beyond have added to supply chain problems as vessels have had to lighten their loads to ensure they can travel along depleted water channels. Hope it happens and the Christmas markets will be open this year!! That compares with a current level of . Kaub gauge is at 36cm. When the river level falls and the figure reaches 150cm at Kaub, this triggers a mechanism in logistics called "Kleinwasserzuschlag" meaning low water surcharge. All in all, it has been a mild winter so far and while the river had a spell of high water levels at the beginning of the month, it has been uneventful as regards flooding so far. Also damage to cars due to trees, a bit of debris, etc. Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. It is interesting to follow some ships of where they have ended up. The vessel sails from the right bank to Rolandseck on the left bank and back of course. Signs warning people about dangerously high waters stuck out of the riverbed, and rocks lay exposed. A "Spring awakening" cruise. All joking aside Scenic redid almost their whole fleet. Low water levels on the Rhine River mean that barges hauling middle distillate-type oil products - typically gasoil/diesel - past Kaub in Germany, are limited to loading about 30% of capacity, according to maritime brokerage services firm Riverlake. Colognes Waterway and Shipping Authority has said the unusually low levels for this time of year meansbarges have had to reduce their cargo in order to be able to navigate the river. The phenomenon facing the Rhine is common across much of Europe and the Northern Hemisphere at present, after an unusually hot and dry summer that has caused water shortages and wildfires from Hawaii to Hungary. Never seen it before. Weeks of baking temperatures and scant rainfall this summer have drained the water levels of the Rhine, the country's commercial artery, causing delays to shipping and pushing freight costs up more than five-fold. The water level doesn't indicate the literal depth, but rather how far above an extremely shallow benchmark it is at any given time. It is an important aspect on the Elbe according to AnhaltER1960. read more. The Rhine valley is on storm warning, there has been quite a bit of damage, mainly fallen trees. We left the ship at Strasbourg then bussed to Speyer for our included excursion then on to Cologne. All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. Actually Binnenschifferforum lists Egdir as having a draft of 2.0 m. The draft can be a bit variable, although not much on a passenger vessel. This is how it works: https://www.contargo.net/en/goodtoknow/lws/. Chemicals group BASF (BASFn.DE) said it could not rule out production cuts if low water disrupts logistics. You can get across on the bridges or for a different experience try out one of the small passenger ferries: https://www.basel.com/en/attractions/ferries-1c2b0d1624. That is a Canadian website, right? Water levels on the Rhine River are well below usual, impacting freight and ferries on the giant freshwater artery, Shipping on Rhine has slowed to a trickle: DW's Ashutosh Pandey, Rivers across Europe are too dry, too low and too warm, Olaf Scholz at Davos: 2022 'challenged us as never before', World in 'sorry state' UN chief Guterres, Davos: Social entrepreneurs eye real change, Egyptian activists: We need to talk about abortion, Japan nuclear plant execs acquitted over Fukushima disaster, 'When you see antisemitism, act immediately'. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Shipping issues may also affect the upcoming grain harvest in Germany, with the Raiffeisen Association telling public broadcaster SWR that storage areas in southern Germany are already full and the grain cannot be transported away in sufficient quantities. The hood on the raincoat should do the trick with the cold temperatures. However, before making the decision to reserve your vacation, please be aware of potential conditions which may impact your cruise. That is fascinating about the sister ships. Unless the captain phoned them up on the same morning that you call the office. Already critically low water levels in Germany's most important waterway could drop even lower next week. A splendid-looking AmaWaterways river cruise ship was anchored in Rdesheim at the time - New Year's Day 2019: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bg0D3JHRYPY, You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, By Other rivers have faced similar problems, leading to problems for the tourist industry. The Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission captured part of the Rhine River near Cologneshowing the stark difference between August 2021 and August 2022. A fun trip. According to RhineForecast.com, a website that tracks water levels at various stations along the Rhine River, water levels have been dropping since earlier in July and some forecasts. Started August 27, 2021, By FL temps have been pretty cold lately. But rain is forecast this week. As shown below, the water level at Kaub has fallen in recent days and is at its lowest on a seasonal basis since at least 2007. Spot prices for a liquid tanker barge from Rotterdam to Karlsruhe south of Kaub were unchanged on the day at about 110 euros a tonne on Friday, but up 16 euros this week and up from only around 20 euros a tonne in June, brokers said. Wow! . But now, back to ferries and an amateur video better than I can take. Rhine, Germany Author #679 Posted August 17, 2022 On 8/17/2022 at 2:21 PM, travellovervic said: We are getting off at Zons, and get bused to Cologne for our excursions. Here is the thread for 2022 for everything related to the water levels of the Rhine and bits of information on the river. Flowing through Switzerland, Germany, and The Netherlands, the Rhine has faced a continuous decline in water levels impacting overall traffic and trade in the region. I am glad we let them book the flights for us. The British North Sea's biggest oil and gas producer Harbour Energy told its staff that it plans job cuts in the wake of a windfall tax imposed on the sector last year, the company said on Wednesday. BERLIN/LOBITH, Netherlands, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Already bracing for recession and winter energy shortages, German businesses are grappling with the lack of another precious commodity: rain. Were on the Rhine now from Basel to Amsterdam. There is no specific level at which shipping stops, said Roberto Spranzi, director of the DTG shipping cooperative which operates about 100 cargo vessels on the Rhine. Maxau is in the Upper Rhine valley, Kaub and Koblenz are in the Middle Rhine valley. Kaub, the notorious spot for low water, is now actually a bit in the low side. Separately, masses of dead fish were reported in the eastern Oder river. Thanks Steamboats!!! Almost no water in places. These last items depend on whether you're acclimated to weather in FL or NH! Stefan Schneider, an economist at Deutsche Bank, expects the German economy will fall into a mild recession from the third quarter and that overall growth in 2022 would be 1.2%. What a difference between the two years: https://www.gld.nl/nieuws/7749793/de-waal-vanuit-de-lucht-het-verschil-tussen-nu-en-vorig-jaar. On Friday scientists in Germany reported an increased density of mercury in samples taken from the river. We also received a $25 pp credit for lunch for the day we were off the ship in Speyer. What both parts of the Middle Rhine valley have in common is that there are no bridges for many kilometres, so crossing the river is done by ferry, unless you are willing to make a substantial detour in a car. Thanks for the updates! Along the length of the river there are passenger ferries and car ferries, they may be used mainly by tourists or as is the case with the car ferries, they can be part of a regular commuter service. Barge rates to ship fuel from Rotterdam to Basel, Switzerland, are near an all-time high. The industry leader for online information for tax, accounting and finance professionals. It depends on how quickly you feel cold. Helps if you are informed and educated (thanks to everyone on this forum) and go with the flow. And this colourful* page that lists almost all the rivers and waterways, i.e. End of March will already see many budding trees and sailing upstream from Amsterdam into the warm microclimates of the Rhine valley should give you a tiny bit more Spring each day if the weather is sunny. I should take a short video on a sunny day to give you folks an impression of what it is like. I agree, "the death of river cruising" was clickbait, and it will take more than 1 year of low water to do so. The rare Moselle-only itinerary is done by bike & barge cruises.Viva Cruises does one in September on a large ship, August sailing sold out. Theres currently no shortage of gasoline or diesel in the country, according to Herbert Rabl, spokesman for Tankstellen-Interessenverband e.V., which represents fuel station leaseholders and owners in Germany. CC Help Jenn Will see what happens to the street celebrations. The much reduced load can result in a financial loss and therefore, to prevent that, one logistics company stopped operating on that section of the Rhine. Reduced temperatures and rainfall is forecast most days this week, with the first drops falling in western Germany (home to the Rhine) on Monday. Low water levels are another blow for industry in Germany, which is struggling with shrinking flows of natural gas that have sent prices surging. I am prepared for temps around 50F and rainso anything else will be a pleasant surprise. Also, will the air temps typically be mainly in the 50s Fahrenheit or colder or warmer? Throughout the year I will post those three gauging station figures, either together or individually, as they are very good indicators for the situation as regards unimpeded sailing. Hmm, perhaps next week. The river is an important tributary for the transport of raw materials including grain, chemicals, minerals, coal and oil products. Of major concern, as Germany braces itself for a winter of energy rationing due to an 80% reduction in gas flows from Russia, is the knock-on effect the depletion in river traffic could have on energy output. https://www.gld.nl/nieuws/7749793/de-waal-vanuit-de-lucht-het-verschil-tussen-nu-en-vorig-jaar, https://heimatzeithotels.panomax.com/bingen, https://valueworldcruises.com/cruise-ships/ms-vivienne/, https://www.swr.de/swraktuell/rheinland-pfalz/koblenz/schifffahrt-mittelrhein-gesperrt-motorschaden-100.html, Click here to reload the page in order to enable certain features, Policy regarding COVID related Discussions. We normally have more than 50F or 10 Celsius during the end of March, at least on some days. Or have a look through last year's thread on the Rhine. We leave the US next month for an April 3rd departure from Amsterdam. We are sooo excited. 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