Heat Pushes Rhine Toward 36-Year Low in Risk to Energy Supplies

By Eamon Akil Farhat

Jul 28, 2026 (Bloomberg) –The Rhine River’s water levels risk dropping to an unprecedented low as heat waves grip Europe, creating a bottleneck for the delivery of coal and fuels inland while raising shipping costs.

Water levels at Kaub, a key chokepoint for shipments heading to southern Germany and Switzerland, have already fallen to 28 centimeters, the lowest since 2018, according to German federal data. Forecasts show the barge clearance level could decline even more this week, potentially reaching 24 centimeters on Friday, which would be the lowest in data going back to 1990.

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