Oder river low water levels disrupt shipping

Low water levels in the Oder river are causing significant economic difficulties for local shipping industries. In Frankfurt (Oder), excursion ship captain Dirk Triebler reports that his vessel, the ‘Gefion’, has been unable to leave the harbor basin for weeks due to insufficient depth. While his ship was modified to handle a 75-centimeter draft, current levels in the harbor basin are approximately 80 centimeters, and a level of 1.20 meters is required for normal operations.

Hagen Koch, a hydrologist from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, notes that water levels in the region have dropped earlier than usual. This trend of declining water levels is being observed across Germany, with significant restrictions on shipping in the Rhine and Danube rivers as well. Local rivers in Brandenburg, including the Spree, the Lusatian Neisse, and the Elbe, are also experiencing critically low levels.