DB Cargo and Captrain respond to logistics problems on the Rhine
Author: Łukasz Kuś 2026/08/19
Captrain Deutschland and DB Cargo AG have deployed additional wagons to transport goods on alternative routes to the Rhine waterway, which is experiencing record low water levels. Drought is posing a significant challenge to logistics in Germany and neighboring countries.
Inland waterway operators on the Rhine have been grappling with problems for several weeks due to record low water levels and restricted navigability. In recent days, the water level at the Kaub bottleneck dropped below 10 cm, making navigation impossible. On Tuesday, the 18th, the situation improved, and the Rhine's water level at that point currently stands at around 14 cm. This remains a critically low level, rendering many river vessels unable to navigate. Forecasts indicate that the situation will not improve in the coming weeks.
The low water level on the Rhine is a serious impediment to freight transport in western Germany. Two-thirds of all inland waterway transport in Europe is carried via this waterway – over 280 million tons and 2.3 million TEUs annually. The limited capacity to transport goods by barge on the Rhine poses a significant threat to the continuity of supply chains in southwestern Germany, as well as in Switzerland and eastern France.
Freight railways increase capacity
Rail freight carriers responded to the crisis by operating three to four additional weekly connections between Wilhelmshaven and the Ruhr area in early August, increasing coal transport capacity. The trains are powered by Vectron Dual Mode locomotives, which operate on both electrified and non-electrified lines. Furthermore, the carrier increased the number of wagons in its trains running between the port and the industrial area. The company also expanded its coke transport capacity between Germany and France.
“The rapid transfer of raw material transport, crucial for industry, to rail demonstrates the potential of rail to ensure reliable logistics and therefore stable supply chains, even in times of crisis,” says Denny Jünemann, Managing Director of Captrain subsidiary Captrain Deutschland Cargo West (CCW).
DB Cargo AG, in turn, mobilized an additional 400 freight wagons, which were placed in trains operating on major transport corridors. The carrier is in constant contact with its customers and can activate additional transport options if necessary.
"The current situation requires close coordination between all parties involved in the transport chain. We are in direct contact with our customers and are looking for solutions that can be implemented quickly, depending on conditions. To this end, we can mobilize approximately 400 additional freight wagons on an ad hoc basis. We are working with the affected companies to determine where this could translate into specific transport operations," says Bernhard Osburg, CEO of DB Cargo AG.