Steffen Bilger to lift Sunday truck ban amid record Rhine low water FAST-MOVING
Record low water levels on the Rhine and other German rivers have severely restricted navigation. At the Bonn gauge the river fell to 125 cm on 20 July, and at Kaub the navigable depth was measured at just 19 cm – a new negative record. The shortage of water threatens the transport of oil products, grain, minerals and especially chemicals, with the chemical industry alone facing potential losses of €426 million. A modelling study estimates total German economic losses of up to €913 million and a 0.4‑percentage‑point reduction in GDP growth for 2026.
Federal Transport Minister Steffen Bilger, meeting industry representatives in Bonn, announced emergency measures. He proposed a temporary suspension of the Sunday and holiday truck ban for affected goods, faster approvals for heavy road transports, and the redirection of freight to road and rail. The Autobahn GmbH has been instructed to avoid construction that would impede traffic, and DB Cargo will increase rail capacity. Bilger stressed that while no supply shortages have yet materialised, the situation is “definitely challenging” and requires coordinated action with the states.
The measures aim to keep supply chains on the Rhine, Danube and Elbe functional until water levels improve, while longer‑term plans include upgrading waterway infrastructure to better cope with future low‑water events linked to climate change.
Entities: BASF · Bundesverband Güterkraftverkehr und Logistik · DB Cargo · Deutsche Bahn · German Federal Ministry of Transport · German Federal Transport Ministry · Rhine · Rhine River · Steffen Bilger · Tarek Al‑Wazir
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 2 SOURCES] No current supply shortages have been reported, but the situation is described as definitely challenging. (situation assessment)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The Rhine water level fell to 125 cm at the Bonn gauge on 20 July, a record low. (record low water level)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Low water could reduce German GDP growth by 0.4 percentage points in 2026. (economic impact estimate)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Bilger instructed Autobahn GmbH to avoid additional construction that would impede traffic. (operational directive)
- [● 6 SOURCES] Transport Minister Steffen Bilger announced a temporary suspension of the Sunday and holiday truck ban for affected goods. (policy announcement)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Bilger proposed increasing road and rail freight capacity, including faster approvals for heavy road transports and DB Cargo expanding rail services. (policy measures)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Potential production losses in the German economy could reach €913 million, with the chemical sector losing €426 million. (modelled loss estimate)
- [● 3 SOURCES] At Kaub, the navigable depth of the Rhine was measured at 19 cm, a new negative record. (navigation depth record)