Low water levels on the Rhine are intensifying further. The water level at the important bottleneck of Kaub was around 28 centimeters on Monday. According to forecasts from the Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration, it is expected to drop to up to 19 centimeters on Thursday and temporarily to 18 centimeters on Friday. This would fall below the previous low of 25 centimeters recorded in October 2018. However, this is still a forecast. Rainfall or changes in water inflows could still influence the actual development. Kaub is located between Mainz and Koblenz and is considered one of the critical bottlenecks for Rhine shipping. The gauge reading does not directly correspond to the actual water depth in the shipping lane. Nevertheless, it indicates how heavily ships can be loaded. For inland shipping, the low water level means that many ships can only carry a small portion of their usual cargo. According to the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry, transport capacity can drop by up to 75 percent during severe low water periods. For the same volume of goods, significantly more ships and trips are required. Bulk goods such as coal, ores, mineral oil products, grain, and chemical raw materials are particularly affected. Companies in the chemical, steel, and mineral oil industries are heavily dependent on the Rhine. The consequences are already known from previous low water periods: tight ship space, higher freight rates, low water surcharges, and longer delivery times. A short-term shift to rail or truck transport is only partially possible because there are neither sufficient vehicles nor adequate free capacity available. IfW economist Stefan Kooths estimates that prolonged low water could dampen German gross domestic product in the third quarter by 0.1 to 0.2 percentage points. This is an economic assessment and not yet actual damage incurred. Forwarders and shippers should not only look at the official gauge level. What matters is the ship space capacity actually offered, the permissible draft of the vessel deployed, and any low water surcharges. For ongoing bookings, shipping companies or charterers should be asked about confirmed loading quantities. Already booked quantities can be distributed across multiple vessels or postponed in time. Subsequent transport must also be reviewed. Delayed barges can lead to missed terminal slots, missing raw materials, or additional storage costs. Those transporting time-critical cargo should clarify rail and road alternatives early and inform customers of possible additional costs. In short: the 18 centimeters are still a forecast, but available transport capacity on the Rhine is already becoming scarcer and more expensive.