Rotterdam Court Holds Inland Carrier Liable for Fertilizer Damage as Low Water Levels Disrupt Dutch Shipping

A Rotterdam court ruled that an inland shipping carrier is liable for moisture damage to a shipment of 1,201 tonnes of diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilizer transported from Gent, Belgium, to Regensburg and Straubing, Germany. The cargo was loaded dry, but snow melt entered the hold during the voyage, leaving 1.7 tonnes clumped and economically lost. The court rejected the carrier’s attempts to claim exemption from liability, concluding the fertilizer was in good condition at loading.

At the same time, unusually low water levels are crippling the Dutch inland shipping sector. The Rotterdam port has seen a 10% drop in cargo volume since early July, and the Deventer harbor was forced to close, prompting companies to shift bulk loads to costly road transport. Economic losses from the Twentekanaal closure are estimated at €125,000‑€500,000 per day, while firms along the Twentekanaal and in the north scramble for alternative logistics solutions.