Story perspectives

Rhine Low Water Cuts German Chemical Runs, Triples Freight

8/25/2026

Summary

Story summary

German chemical firms cut runs because Rhine water at Kaub fell below 10 cm in mid-August.
Freight rates from the ARA hub to Karlsruhe jumped from €45/t to €215/t, a 378% increase.
BASF, INEOS, LyondellBasell and Shell see reduced feedstock flows for about 3.1 million t/y ethylene capacity.
LyondellBasell declared force majeure on its 170,000 t/y butadiene unit after feedstock restrictions hit its crackers.

History

Historical Context

In 1993, a severe drought lowered the Rhine at Kaub to just 30 cm, halting barge traffic and crippling chemical shipments. The European Commission reported a 35 % drop in inland freight volumes, while BASF and Shell each lost roughly €200 million in revenue. Today's Rhine low water at Kaub, now under 10 cm, mirrors that 1993 bottleneck, prompting BASF, INEOS, LyondellBasell and Shell to curtail feedstock flows. Consequently, freight rates from the ARA hub to Karlsruhe surged past €200 per tonne, signaling broader supply-chain vulnerability for Europe’s petrochemical sector.

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Story summary

German chemical firms cut runs because Rhine water at Kaub fell below 10 cm in mid-August.
Freight rates from the ARA hub to Karlsruhe jumped from €45/t to €215/t, a 378% increase.
BASF, INEOS, LyondellBasell and Shell see reduced feedstock flows for about 3.1 million t/y ethylene capacity.
LyondellBasell declared force majeure on its 170,000 t/y butadiene unit after feedstock restrictions hit its crackers.

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