Germany's Rhine River Is Drying Up — and It's Costing Billions

Water levels on the Rhine River have dropped so low that cargo ships can no longer carry full loads, slowing trade on one of Europe's most important waterways. The Rhine is Germany's main shipping route for coal, chemicals, and manufactured goods. When water levels fall, ships must carry less weight to avoid running aground. This means more trips are needed to move the same amount of cargo — raising costs and causing delays. Low water is a recurring problem. In 2018, a similar drought forced factories to slow production and pushed up prices for fuel and goods across Germany. Experts link the shrinking river to climate change, which is making droughts more frequent and severe in Europe. The German government is under pressure to find solutions, but dredging the river or redesigning ships takes years and costs billions.