Rhine River Hits Record Low, Deepening Shipping Crisis

By Eamon Akil Farhat, Rachel Graham and Sasha Draeger-Mazer

(Bloomberg) –Water levels on the Rhine river are dwindling further, with no relief in sight, forcing companies that rely on the waterway to adjust rapidly to keep goods flowing.

Levels at Kaub, Germany — the Rhine’s shallowest point — have fallen to the lowest since records began in 1880, and could drop further as another heat wave bakes Europe this week. Forecasters say it would take weeks of sustained rain to lift the river toward more normal levels, meaning the crisis could drag on into October.

The Rhine is a key shipping