Tomorrow storms will flare up again. Crucially, the impending crisis could lead energy companies to cut their output, one of the countrys biggest gas companies has said. The drought is causing huge disruption, with potentially massive consequences for the economy. Fully loaded ships generally need a level of at least about 1.5 meters, but a persistent lack of rain and high temperatures have led to low water levels. But now, back to ferries and an amateur video better than I can take. [1/6]A ferry cruises past the partially dried riverbed of the Rhine river in Bingen, Germany, August 9, 2022. But we will get to that another time. The resulting bottlenecks are another drag on Europe's largest economy, which is grappling with high inflation, supply chain disruptions and soaring gas prices after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February. I just hope it does not produce dangerous heavy downpours in isolated areas. German authorities are bracing for further shipping disruptions due to low levels in busy waterways. The most comprehensive solution to manage all your complex and ever-expanding tax and compliance needs. That is a Canadian website, right? A "Spring awakening" cruise. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. Economists estimate the disruption could knock as much as half a percentage point off Germany's overall economic growth this year. We had to taken an excursion boat in the Wachau Valley when our river cruise ship wasn't able to make it. The rare Moselle-only itinerary is done by bike & barge cruises.Viva Cruises does one in September on a large ship, August sailing sold out. Already critically low water levels in Germany's most important waterway could drop even lower next week. Just a few and we will stop before Emmerich (the border with the Netherlands). a persistent lack of rain and high temperatures have led to low water levels. On August 5, authorities reported that water levels on the river have fallen to just 56 centimetres (22 inches) -- so low that cargo ships plying the Rhine are being forced to sail nearly. Creation. By the way, Arosa have posted online which cruises right now on the Danube are running. Viking longship drafts vary from 1.5 to 2 meters. I have a hood on the raincoat but I'm bringing a wool knit cap in case it's really chilly. Seeing that the Rhine is one of the busiest waterways in Europe - a river cruise ship captain in a conversation with me called it a "bl**dy motorway" (translated from German) - they statistically happen here more than elsewhere. Rhine water levels set to rise rapidly, barges to take full load. Shipping issues may also affect the upcoming grain harvest in Germany, with the Raiffeisen Association telling public broadcaster SWR that storage areas in southern Germany are already full and the grain cannot be transported away in sufficient quantities. Thats terrible! W ater levels on the Rhine River are set to fall perilously close to the point at which it would effectively close, putting the trade of huge quantities of goods at . A river ship can usually carry about 1,000 tonnes of wheat, for example, which would require about 40 lorries to shift the same quantity of goods. Siebengebirge is the name of the mountain range upstream from Bonn. No surprise with what all Ive read over the last month tracking the situation. This is the stricken "Siebengebirge": http://www.faehre-honnef.de/. . I am confident your river cruise will go ahead. It is an important aspect on the Elbe according to AnhaltER1960. Loads are being transferred to larger numbers of smaller canal barges able to operate in the shallow water, increasing costs for cargo owners. The danger is at bridges as a ship can get pushed towards pillars, i.e. Looks like the perfect weather pattern Thursday into Friday over the Rhine catchment area. More later. Fingers crossed. On 21 January 1947, the former state of Lippe was merged with North Rhine-Westphalia. 1400 N Providence Rd Started June 21, 2021, By The marker at Kaub, a narrow and shallow waypoint west of Frankfurt, is set to rise to 67 centimeters (26.4 inches) by Aug. 22, German government data show. Greetings from the Rhine valley. The water level in the river Rhine as it enters the Netherlands at Lobith is approaching a record low, causing problems for shipping and the irrigation of crops, waterways authority Rijkswaterstaat has confirmed.. You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, By The extent of the drop in Rhine water level is monitored at a chokepoint at Kaub in southwestern Germany, where it reached 48 cm on Wednesday compared with the 1.5 metres needed to carry fully loaded vessels. even those that have little traffic (yachts and rowing boats) to no traffic, in Germany and provides links to neighbouring countries seeing that we share many rivers: https://www.hochwasserzentralen.de/. https://www.swr.de/swraktuell/rheinland-pfalz/koblenz/schifffahrt-mittelrhein-gesperrt-motorschaden-100.html. I agree, "the death of river cruising" was clickbait, and it will take more than 1 year of low water to do so. Water levels at the chokepoint of . She is definitely a different ship. BERLIN, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Water levels on Germany's Rhine river are so low that some vessels cannot sail even when empty, a shipping cooperative said on Friday, although long-awaited rain. According to Colognes city drainage operations, ships wanting to navigate the river have a total height allowance of 111 centimetres plus the water level of 103cm in other words, just 2.14 metres beneath their keel. Frankfurt to Nuremberg is still on, if you can find such an itinerary. The challenge for packing this time is that I have a long driving trip prior to flying to Switzerland and so I need to be packed for the river cruise 6 days before I leave home in FL. We had to push and shove our way to disembark an Durnstein. Low water levels usually occur much later in the year, but reflect the drought conditions affecting large parts of Europe. read more. CC Help Jenn Wow! This has pushed up shipping costs by as much as five times, according to industry reports. We cruised on the River Concerto a couple times. The situation has prompted comparisons with 2018, when Rhine levels also plunged. Started August 27, 2021, By Swimmers have also been warned to keep away from the river because a reduction in water levels can lead to narrower channels and stronger currents. But rain is forecast this week. It is a wild place: https://www.visit.alsace/en/261000884-rhinau-island-a-small-jungle-in-the-rhine-forest/. We are used to it. Powered by Invision Community. Sounds as if they were getting it to more or less maximum capacity. A few tiny stories from me about the river I live at. Hunger stones, wrecks and bones: Europes drought brings past to surface, Historic monuments resurface as severe drought shrinks Spains reservoirs, Drought declared across eight areas of England, Its getting extremely hard: climate crisis forces China to ration electricity, Soil healing and olive growing: how UK farms are coping with looming drought, This is the future: the Oxfordshire village living without running water, The new normal: how Europe is being hit by a climate-driven drought crisis, Source of River Thames dries out for first time during drought, Vatican turns off historic fountains amid Rome drought, Romans threatened with water rationing as Italy's heatwave drags on. Bliss! Water levels at the Kaub reference point west of Frankfurt were at 35 centimetres on Friday. Any ship deeper than that was likely to get stuck, they warned, adding that captains carry the sole responsibility for the safe manoeuvre of their vessels. If flooding and low water are new concepts to you as regards river cruising and it makes you nervous (eek, what will this mean to my cruise??) Talking of info. And gloves. "Ships are still running, but fewer of them and with lighter loads," the spokesman of the German Waterways and Shipping Office (WSA), Florian Krekel, told Reuters news agency. The Rhein Galaxy has 175 cm and cant cruise anymore while another ship only draws 120 cm. Emmerich. Im interested to see how she looks after refurbishment. "Normally you have more than two meters under the ship but now you only have 40 centimetres in some places," the Servia's captain Peter Claereboets told Reuters. We are seeing cancellations of events everywhere. The Rhine River, a major thoroughfare via Germany that connects the Netherlands, France, and Austria, is running dry, causing major disruptions to both European industry and energy supplies. That sounds rather uncomfortable. Usually warm days, a valley in full bloom and long evenings with time for cocktails at sunset on the sun deck. A bigger deal and in a good context has been a find in Switzerland when the ground was prepared for the foundations of a new boat house. Sign up to First Edition, our free daily newsletter every weekday at 7am BST, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. Looking forward to learning more about this great river, its history, and the communities along it via your posts. . One can feel safer on the river, the ripples are there, with a bit of foam, but not a big deal. Hull design and where the propeller is, materials used, the water tanks etc. I would say come anyway but quite frankly on the Rhine it is dry, parched and other ships do not have much water either. They say the rain and thunderstorms are only a short thing and the overall weather will not change. As we all know, we are safer outside than inside as regards infections. Sorry, bad English. Thank you for the encouragement. Have briefly learnt of that, something with laws of physics of course, I mean about the upstream and downstream difference. Fri 5 Aug 2022 10.18 EDT Last modified on Fri 5 Aug 2022 14.26 EDT Germany's Rhine, one of Europe's key waterways, is just days away from being closed to commercial traffic because of very. Our winter here so far has been mild but we may get a cold spell in March. There was a post by KD today answering the question why some of their ships cant cruise while others do. I think this fixes the lowest ever record at that spot at zero or lower at the end of the year. Unless the captain phoned them up on the same morning that you call the office. This is having serious consequences for wildlife, the economy and the people living near the Rhine, Po, Thames and other affected rivers. Hope it happens and the Christmas markets will be open this year!! across much of Europe and the Northern Hemisphere at present. LauraS I meant to say there is limited space so in effect you have only one full lane. And if you are not coming to the area this year, well, join us anyway! That is nice. You can also look at the stickies above on the title page, where there is an explanation in a thread. Two coal power plants have already been affected, unable to run at maximum because barges cannot bring in full loads. LowRhinewater level combined with capacity problems on German railways are the reasons, managing director Roland Bilang told Bloomberg, adding that supply problems mainly concern diesel/heating oil. Today we got a call that our August 21 Uniworld cruise was still on. Never seen it before. Coal power plants now back in fashion as an alternative to Russian gas supplies face supply shortages with boats unable to take on enough coal. The Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission captured part of the Rhine River near Cologneshowing the stark difference between August 2021 and August 2022. Maxau is in the Upper Rhine valley, Kaub and Koblenz are in the Middle Rhine valley. German coal importers meanwhile hope river levels will rise soon to allow them to meet a demand that, as the war in Ukraine grinds on, shows no sign of abating. If you can prepare yourself mentally it is easier, isn't it? "Because of the lower water levels, only around 600 tons was possible of late. Thanks for the link, Daisi. We were packed onboard like cattle. On the Rhine so far 135m barges are still managing round the bends at the Lorelei rock. Apart from one but that was a school party with "intrinsic hazard". We left the ship at Strasbourg then bussed to Speyer for our included excursion then on to Cologne. That is terribly short notice momofthre3 - I hope they have given you a full refund? The most comprehensive solution to manage all your complex and ever-expanding tax and compliance needs. Bigger problems are along the coasts and into estuaries. The massive heat wave that rocked much of Europe in July caused water levels on the Rhine to sink to lower levels, and at a faster pace than normally seen . Make Sure Your Voice Is Heard! Reduced temperatures and rainfall is forecast most days this week, with the first drops falling in western Germany (home to the Rhine) on Monday. But I will get to that another time. Build the strongest argument relying on authoritative content, attorney-editor expertise, and industry defining technology. This is bad news for a country whose biggest energy utilities are starting to drain natgas reserves as a result of the halt in Nord Stream 1 shipments, jeopardising millions of Germans with freezing should the country fail to restock fully ahead of the winter. . Just replied to the Danube thread. Cruisers' Choice Awards! That is fascinating about the sister ships. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Right now it is a bit on the cold side, but still normal for end of February. Access unmatched financial data, news and content in a highly-customised workflow experience on desktop, web and mobile. These are photos from my crossing: This is looking upstream. Also damage to cars due to trees, a bit of debris, etc. New longship Egdir has a 1.6 meter draft. Through the year we will look at. FL temps have been pretty cold lately. Water levels on the River Rhine in Germany continue to sink, forcing companies to seek alternatives for the freight they send up and down the enormous waterway. Which is fine. Many of the businesses dependent on it have been racing to fix supply chains massively interrupted by the pandemic and urgently trying to replenish their stocks. . See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. For outerwear I'm bringing a raincoat with removable lining. Quite a few years ago now, I went on a weekend trip to Europa Park theme park. Germany's Rhine river is getting too dry, snarling supply chains and creating more problems for its struggling economy . The rain that came with it has made the rivers rise quite fast. Top deck was standing room only, no shade anywhere, just standing for 45 minutes was terrible. All in all, it has been a mild winter so far and while the river had a spell of high water levels at the beginning of the month, it has been uneventful as regards flooding so far. Separately, masses of dead fish were reported in the eastern Oder river. I have not posted any water levels yet. If you would like to follow our weather warnings, here are the official pages of DWD (I think the map is not available with English captions): https://www.dwd.de/DE/wetter/warnungen_gemeinden/warnWetter_node.html, Talk to you soon. I hope the weather breaks soon so that the cruise lines can resume more normal operations. A splendid-looking AmaWaterways river cruise ship was anchored in Rdesheim at the time - New Year's Day 2019: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bg0D3JHRYPY, You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, By Enjoy the rest of your time on the river. Oil prices steadied on Friday, but fell for the week on a stronger U.S. dollar and fears that an economic slowdown would weaken crude demand. Yes, that helps! Title Algorithms to Compute 1d Water Levels along the German Federal Waterways Elbe and Rhine Version 0.4.1 Date 2023-01-02 Description An S4 class and several functions which utilize internally stored datasets and gauging data enable 1d water level interpolation. I'm on Basel to Amsterdam embarking 8/30. On 8/11/2022 at 10:08 PM, gentlemancruiser said: 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. Rhine water levels 2022 and similar topics, Forum Assistance - Welcome to Cruise Critic, Announcement: Upgrade Your Horizon ~ Sponsored by Regent Seven Seas Cruises. Longships' maximum draft is just about always listed as 2 meters and it seems that they operate as if their minimum operational draft is not less than about 1.8m. An interesting region, hilly but not as rugged as the more famous Rhine gorge further South. It is not a worry that much along the large rivers, they are going from just below mean to high water or mild flooding. A fun trip. The Basel rowing club wanted a new boathouse and got a gladiator arena: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-may-be-the-last-gladiator-arena-ever-built-discovered-in-switzerland-180979497/. Helps if you are informed and educated (thanks to everyone on this forum) and go with the flow. The hills shake off the last throws of winter and it can snow in the mountainous regions in Switzerland and the Upper Rhine valley. Looking at Rhinau town from the ferry called Rhnanus: On the German side is Kappel-Grafenhausen. There are lots of variables in play that we who are not in the industry could easily overlook! A hot, dry summer has meant the water level on the Rhine River, Western Europe's most important waterway, is at a record low, making it too shallow for many ships to pass. This is where you can find it, at kilometre 258: http://fhren-rhein.de/faehren/faehre-rhenanus-kappel-grafenhausen-rheinau/. Join us again with your comments and share your excitement about upcoming trips on this major European river. Screen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. Are photos from my crossing: this is the name of the mountain range upstream from Bonn, where is. Short thing and the overall weather will not change bring in full loads this European. Foam, but still normal for end of the lower water levels at the Kaub reference point west of were. 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