Elbe on the ground: low water endangers freight shipping in Aken!

Elbe on the ground: low water endangers freight shipping in Aken!

The Elbe, once an important waterway for freight traffic, is currently facing serious challenges. Last weekend a short rain shower brought some relief, but it was not enough to noticeably increase the water level in Aken. At the moment, the level in the city is still below half a meter, which means that the transport of heavy goods is currently not possible, such as mdr .

The BUND for the Environment and Nature Conservation Germany (BUND) has been calling for a rethink in Elbe policy for some time. According to the latest analyzes, the Elbe can no longer be used as a freight transport path. In the past few months there have always been low water periods, and the climatic changes make this problem appear even more threatening. Felix Ekardt, the state chairman of the BUND in Saxony, emphasizes: "The climatic conditions have changed fundamentally and have increasing water periods." The necessary depth of 1.40 meters in various places in the river was undershot for more than 120 days a year, even more than 60 days the level fell under the 1.0-meter mark, such as BUND Sachsen reported.

The economic consequences

The effects of this low water phase cannot be ignored. The predictability of transport suffers significantly, which leads to falling freight rates and presses the handling quantities in the Saxon inland ports on a historical low of around 0.1 million tons annually. Despite impressive investments of around 430 million euros between 2013 and 2022 to improve the waterway, the situation has not improved, as well as Tagesspiegel . These grievances not only result in economic consequences, but also raise the question of whether further construction measures are useful to achieve the required gester depth.

Ekardt warns: "Building measures are in vain when the water is missing." Further interventions could even endanger the sensitive ecosystems along the Elbe. The pressure on the political re -evaluation of this situation is increasing because the current development in shipping is seen as an alarming sign. The rethinking in Elbe policy is inevitable and challenged.

The challenges for the Elbe as a waterway could have far -reaching consequences for the region, and the voice of the federal government is getting louder. It remains to be seen whether those responsible recognize the signs of the time and take the necessary steps.