The low water levels are making it difficult for shipping on Germany's rivers at the moment – it is precisely this situation that shows how important rail is for resilient freight transport and how important it is to create more capacity instead of cutting funds:
"The current situation in inland shipping shows how important additional capacity is for rail freight transport; especially against the background that low water is becoming the norm in summer. The federal government is called upon to finally prioritise the expansion of the rail network and to provide the necessary funds for this. The savings planned so far in the 2027 federal budget in practically all areas of rail freight transport are in stark contradiction to this. The federal government urgently needs to make adjustments here." – Dirk Flege, Managing Director of Allianz pro Schiene e.V.