The German Association for Steel Processing and Recycling (BSV), the German Association of Metal Dealers and Recyclables Processors (VDM) and the German Association for Recycling and Waste (bvse) have warned that record low water levels in the Rhine could lead to massive disruptions in logistics throughout Germany. steel industry and other industries.
According to the associations, the water level in Kauba has dropped below the average water level on the Rhine below the previous record low recorded in 2018. In particularly affected areas, inland navigation vessels can currently only carry about one third of their usual cargo volume. As a result, approximately three times as many voyages are required to transport the same amount of materials, which increases the cost of transportation and further reduces the capacity of ships.
31,6 % of shipments are carried out by inland waterways of steel industry cargoes
Referring to data from the German Federation of Steel Manufacturers (WV Stahl), the associations stated that in 2024, 120.7 million tons of cargo were transported for the German steel industry. Rail transport accounted for 49.3% of this volume, inland waterways - 31.6%, and trucks - 19,2%..
About 38 million tons of steel are transported annually by inland waterways for the needs of the steel industry. According to the associations' calculations, if only half of this volume were theoretically to be converted to road transport, then more than 760,000 additional trucks would be needed annually, assuming that the load capacity of each truck would be 25 tons. The associations noted that the railways will also not be able to compensate for the significant loss of domestic transportation capacity in the shortest possible time.
The growth of steel production in Germany increases the burden on логистику
The logistical burden is increasing. This is compounded by an increase in steel production. In the first half of 2026, about 18.6 million tons of steel were produced in Germany, which is 8.9% more than last year, which increases the need for reliable supplies of raw materials such as steel scrap and transportation of finished steel products.
BDSV VDM and bvse warned that disruptions could spread throughout the entire production value chain, affecting steel industries including construction, automotive and mechanical engineering. Recycling companies may also face growing inventories and reach material acceptance limits if scrap transportation is disrupted, while steel mills may face difficulties in securing sufficient supplies of raw materials.
The associations also noted that restoring the water level in the Rhine would not immediately eliminate delays in logistics, as the accumulated cargo volumes were increasing. Representatives of various industries will compete for the limited opportunities of shipping, rail and road transport. They called for coordinated short-term measures covering waterways, rail and road transport, including expedited permits for alternative modes of transport and improved coordination of infrastructure activities. In the long term, they called for investments in more sustainable waterways, vessels capable of operating at low water levels, additional rail freight capacity, and improved multimodal transportation infrastructure.
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