Koch Thorsten 
Low water levels: Challenges for transport logistics
The low water situation is continuing to worsen. Given the persistently dry weather, there is currently no sign of the situation easing in the short term. Our monitoring of the relevant gauges, together with the latest forecasts from the Waterways Authority, indicates that water levels are likely to fall in the coming days to a level that could be lower than the previous low recorded in autumn 2018
For our inland waterway transport operations, this means that available cargo capacity is likely to decrease further over the coming weeks; on certain routes, a temporary suspension of regular services cannot be ruled out.
The impact affects various market segments – from project and heavy-lift transport through to bulk goods and intermodal transport. Our teams from the Inland Navigation, Projects and Intermodal divisions are working together to develop bespoke solutions to keep supply chains as stable and predictable as possible. In addition to inland waterway transport, rail, road and combined transport concepts are also available for this purpose.
Given the current capacity constraints, we recommend coordinating planned shipments at an early stage. This will allow potential restrictions to be assessed in good time and solutions to be found.
Our Customer Service team is always on hand to help you coordinate bespoke solutions and will keep you updated on further developments. We will, of course, inform you immediately of any significant changes.
Thank you very much for your understanding and your excellent cooperation during this challenging period.
With its many years of expertise in inland waterway transport and a strong multimodal network, Haeger & Schmidt Logistics remains a reliable partner for demanding transport tasks, even during periods of low water levels.