German states suspend Sunday truck driving ban as record-low water cripples Rhine, Elbe and Danube shipping

Record-low water cripples inland shipping

Water levels on the Rhine, Elbe and Danube have dropped so low that many cargo vessels can currently sail with only a fraction of their usual loads, according to multiple reports. The situation is described in some places as the lowest ever recorded. Inland shipping, a backbone of German freight logistics, has been severely constrained, forcing companies to seek alternative transport routes to keep supply chains intact.

Bilger convenes low-water conference in Bonn

Federal Transport Minister Steffen Bilger (CDU) hosted a low-water conference in Bonn on Thursday, 6 August, bringing together representatives from inland shipping, ports, industry and politics. He announced several immediate measures to maintain supply chains on key waterways including the Rhine, Danube and Elbe. Among the steps was a push to coordinate with states on exemptions from the Sunday and holiday truck driving ban for particularly affected goods. Bilger also called for shifting more freight to rail and for retrofitting ships to operate in low-water conditions.

Four states suspend Sunday and holiday truck ban

Rheinland-Pfalz and the Saarland were the first to act, announcing on 7 August that the Sunday and holiday driving ban for certain trucks would be suspended with immediate effect. NRW and Niedersachsen followed the same day. The exemptions apply to commercial or paid transports with trucks over 7.5 tonnes and trucks with trailers, provided the trips serve as replacements for waterway transports restricted by low water. Oversized and heavy transports are excluded. NRW also allows trucks to drive on Saturdays during the summer holidays. The NRW and Niedersachsen exemptions run until 31 August, while Rheinland-Pfalz and Saarland set their deadline at 30 September.

NRW Transport Minister Oliver Krischer (Greens) said the restrictions pose considerable challenges for many companies.

With this exemption regulation we ensure that supply chains can be maintained and supply bottlenecks avoided.

Rheinland-Pfalz transport state secretary Markus Wolf said the measure creates the needed flexibility for other transport modes to step in. Saarland mobility minister Petra Berg (SPD) stressed that reliable delivery of goods and raw materials is essential for the Saarland as an industrial location.

Industry welcomes, ADAC warns, BUND criticises

The BDI industry association welcomed the move. Deputy chief executive Holger Lösch told the Rheinische Post that the federal government is demonstrating its ability to act in the current extreme situation, though he cautioned that shifting freight to rail and road will not fully compensate for missing waterway capacity.

The ADAC automobile club warned of more traffic jams, particularly at bottlenecks, and greater strain on infrastructure, while expressing understanding for the step. Christian Bernreiter (CSU), Bavaria's transport minister and chair of the state transport ministers' conference, called the relaxation a valuable building block for cushioning the low-water situation and a pragmatic proposal. He added that the federal government must medium-term make waterways fit for low water and promote low-water-suitable ships.

BUND chairman Olaf Bandt criticised the measures, saying they show the government has not understood that low river levels are a symptom of the climate crisis. He told the Rheinische Post that deepening riverbeds or putting more trucks on motorways will not solve the problem, adding that past experience shows river engineering worsens the ecological condition of rivers.