德国莱茵河水位跌至历史最低点，对该国货运体系造成严重冲击。[1]考布镇附近的水位计录得15厘米的水深，创下有记录以来的最低值，远低于2018年10月22日此前的最低记录25厘米。[1]水位下跌迫使考布以南河段全面停止货运，预计未来数天内水位还将继续下降至个位数。[1]
这一水位危机对德国工业生产构成实质性威胁。[1]德国经济研究所运输专家托马斯·普尔斯警示，"运输路线在考布以南现在有完全中断的危险，意味着莱茵河被切成两段"。[1]由于船舶运力仅为平常的五分之一，无法通过公路或铁路运输有效补充，经济研究机构预计这将迫使工业企业削减产量。[1]化工公司科思创的发言人指出，一艘可运载1500吨的货船相当于约60辆卡车的运力，凸显了水运中断的严重后果。[1]德国今夏经历多次热浪和长期无降雨，是导致水位危机的主要原因。[1]
Germany's Rhine River has reached record water levels, with measurements near the town of Koblenz dropping to just 15 centimeters—surpassing the previous low of 25 centimeters recorded on October 22, 2018 [1]. Water levels are expected to fall into single digits in the coming days [1]. The critically shallow conditions have prompted a complete halt to all cargo shipping south of Koblenz [1].
The disruption poses significant challenges to Germany's industrial sector, as cargo vessels now operate at only one-fifth of their typical capacity [1]. According to Thomas Puls, a transport expert at Germany's Institute for Economic Research (IW), "there is now a complete risk of interruption on the transport route south of Koblenz, meaning the Rhine is being cut into two parts" [1]. A single barge carrying 1,500 tons of cargo would normally replace approximately 60 trucks, according to a spokesperson for chemical company Covestro [1], underscoring the scale of inefficiency resulting from reduced shipping capacity. The economic research institute has warned that industrial enterprises will likely be forced to cut production as road and rail transport cannot adequately compensate for the loss of river shipping [1].
The exceptionally low water levels result from multiple heat waves and prolonged periods without rainfall that Germany experienced during the summer [1].