Germany eases truck driving bans as drought impacts shipping

Extreme drought and historically low water levels on major European waterways, including the Rhine and Danube, have triggered significant changes in freight logistics across Germany and Austria.

In Germany, most federal states have eased the traditional Sunday and holiday driving bans for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) to prevent supply chain collapses. States such as Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg have implemented these exceptions to compensate for the loss of inland shipping capacity. In Baden-Württemberg, the extension includes heavy and oversized transports through the end of September. While most regions apply these rules specifically to cargo intended to offset shipping losses, Thuringia has lifted the ban entirely without purpose restrictions until late August.

In contrast, Austria is not currently considering a general suspension of truck driving bans. The Austrian Ministry of Transport noted that the country's well-developed rail network allows for a more efficient redistribution of goods from the Danube to rail and road. While companies like voestalpine have had to reroute shipments due to low water levels on the Danube, the situation in Germany is considered more critical due to the high dependency of major industrial hubs located directly on the Rhine.