Trade turmoil as the Rhine runs low

GERMANY'S mighty River Rhine has plunged to its lowest levels in history, throwing one of Europe's oldest trade routes into crisis.

While archaeologists excitedly scramble among riverbed rocks for treasure, those who rely on the 820-mile river for commerce are feeling the squeeze as barges struggle to navigate shallow waters.

In riverside cities such as Cologne, Dusseldorf and Duisburg, the waters that once lapped - and often overflowed on to - streets are now narrow shallows.

The number of passengers taking boat trips is down by between 15% and 25%, car ferries have been moored up.

But it is the barges carrying ore, petrol, gas and dry and refrigerated goods that are suffering the most. Some 200m tons of freight a year are moved on the German section of the river alone. Low water levels mean a 35% drop-off in business, with companies forced to send their goods by road or rail.

'The Rhine is the main artery of European inland navigation,' said Ervin Spitzer, deputy business manager of German inland shipping organisation BDB.

To increase buoyancy, barges are having to travel less than half full, he explained, and that means companies are having to use several boats where one would have sufficed.

Shipping firms have charged a low-water supplement to help offset the sales decline, Spitzer said. The worry is that the charge could increase the risk of the barges losing business to rail and road transport firms permanently although Spitzer said figures were not available to show the extent to which that had occurred.

In the Cologne area, barges move slowly down the middle of the river while ramps to vehicle ferries angle sharply downward.

Norbert Schmitz, head of cruise ships operator Koln-Dusseldorfer Deutsche Rheinschiffahrt, said the shallow water had forced it to close nine locations because the ships could not dock.

The conditions have forced Rhine traffic to move slower, causing delays and straining engines.

In some stretches, the river is less than 40 centimetres deep. 'Yes, you could probably try to cross it with your wellies,' said Rudiger Beisar of the Water and Ship Authority in Mainz. 'But this isn't something we can recommend, because of the strong and unpredictable current.'

A tourist vessel ran aground near the Lorelei cliff on Sunday, hurting more than 40 people. However, mudlarks and treasure hunters are having a ball. Roman coins, bracelets from ancient tribes and even Second World War munitions have been found among the rocks.