The transport ministers from the various German states plan to urge the federal government to adopt comprehensive measures to combat low river water levels during a special conference scheduled for Thursday.
According to a resolution draft cited by the newspaper, the water levels that are sometimes historical lows on the Rhine, the Danube, and other rivers constitute an “extraordinary challenge” for Germany’s already strained freight transport sector.
The ministers are demanding several specific actions from the federal government. These include presenting a national or European ship fleet promotion program designed for vessels suitable for low water conditions. Furthermore, existing documents-namely the “Rhine Low Water Action Plan,” which has been active since 2018, and the 2019 “Inland Shipping Master Plan”-must be updated.
They also require the accelerated implementation of measures contained within the Federal Transport Infrastructure Plan concerning federal waterways, particularly on the Rhine. These improvements are intended to promptly increase navigability levels when water flow is low.
The preliminary document, submitted by North Rhine-Westphalia, states that the current situation is threatening established supply chains and adding financial pressure on both the economy and consumers. Since climate change is expected to lead to an increase in extremely low water situations in the future, the ministers emphasize that adaptation measures must be implemented not only in the short term but also in the medium and long term.
