Low water surcharge for fairness during times of low water

Inland waterway transport is influenced by nature, and in prolonged periods of low water, special challenges arise. As water levels drop, so does the loading capacity of barges, which means that a greater amount of cargo space is required for the same load. Costs rise significantly, since the existing fleet of barges can carry only a reduced load and additional barge space must be chartered. The additional space which is required is expensive, since the more water levels drop, the tighter the market becomes. Low water surcharges are required to cover these additional costs.

Water levels and low water surcharges
Low water surcharges are a necessary means of fairly compensating for the effects of low water on container transport. Our transparent pricing takes current water levels into account to enable dependable billing.

Fairness for all involved
It is important to understand that these surcharges are required in order to deal with the effects of nature and the changing state of the charter market. They provide a fair basis for everyone involved in container transport. Our low water surcharges are based on empirical values and relate to the weight of the transported containers. In other words, once water drops to a certain level, surcharges are incurred per container and not per TEU.

Here, we provide information on low water surcharges for water levels for our terminals:

Level at Emmerich

Level at Duisburg-Ruhrort

Level at Cologne

Level at Kaub

The four relevant water levels for barges

The basis for calculating the low water surcharge is the status of the relevant water level (see graph) at 5 a.m. CET according to ELWIS, which can be found on our website every day. The actual day of departure of the barge is the decisive factor.

Grafik Landkarte Kleinwasser

Number of trips for transporting the same tonnage

Example of the water level in Kaub: up to a water level of 250 cm to 260 cm, the container ships can be loaded to their full capacity. The maximum load falls constantly as the water level drops. When the water level is 135 cm, a large motor vessel with a length of 135 m and a capacity of 500 TEU can only be half loaded. This means that two ships must be used to transport the same tonnage. When the water level is 75 cm, it is four ships. If the water level falls by a further 20 cm, at least six ships are required.

Grafi Abladung bei Kleinwasser

Navigation does not stop, but becomes uneconomical
Navigation does not stop because of low water levels. However, it can become uneconomical to continue to transport goods by barge. The acceptance of transport requests can then depend on the available capacities.

Reliability at Contargo
You can count on Contargo irrespective of the weather conditions. We will get your containers safely to their destination, and can flexibly switch to other modes of transport when necessary.

Cost increase due to low water levels

Barges can carry reduced loads when the water level is low. The consequence: additional shipping capacity has to be chartered on the market As a result, the costs rise disproportionately to the fall in the water level.

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Water level history

05/2025

04/2025

03/2025

02/2025

01/2025

12/2024

11/2024

10/2024

09/2024

08/2024

07/2024

06/2024

05/2024

04/2024

03/2024

02/2024

01/2024

12/2023

11/2023

1-20/11/2023

10/2023

09/2023

08/2023

07/2023

06/2023

05/2023

04/2023

03/2023

02/2023

01/2023

12/2022

11/2022

10/2022

09/2022

08/2022

07/2022

06/2022

05/2022

04/2022

03/2022

02/2022

01/2022

12/2021

11/2021

10/2021

09/2021

08/2021

07/2021

06/2021

05/2021

04/2021

03/2021

02/2021

01/2021

Data Source:
Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration (WSV), provided by the Federal Institute for Hydrology (BfG)

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