Inland tanker freight rates on the Rhine have risen sharply in the last 24 hours as water levels at key choke points drop again, forcing barges to sail with reduced loads. Rates for tanker transport on the Rotterdam–Karlsruhe route have climbed to about €165–170 per tonne, up from around €100 last week, increasing logistics costs for fuel and chemical deliveries into central Europe.
European news and industry sources report that falling water levels on the river Rhine have once again pushed up the cost of inland tanker transport. WHBL, citing Germany’s federal waterways and shipping agency WSV, notes that prices for tanker transport from Rotterdam to Karlsruhe jumped to roughly €165–170 per tonne on Friday, compared with around €100 a week earlier. In the same report, WSV data show that the navigable gauge at Kaub, a critical chokepoint near Koblenz, has dropped to about 21 cm, down from 34 cm on Monday and 50 cm last week, effectively limiting barge loading and reducing available transport capacity. Regular logistics and energy market coverage by maritime and business outlets such as Hellenic Shipping News and Seatrade Maritime similarly highlight that low Rhine water historically drives up barge freight rates for tanker and dry cargo units, while increasing the cost of delivering oil products, coal and chemicals into Germany’s industrial heartland.
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