An ongoing drought affecting much of Europe has lowered rivers such as the Rhine, preventing large ships with heavy cargoes from passing key points and forcing them to use smaller ships or split cargo into multiple shipments. At one bottleneck near the Middle Rhine town of Kaub, an official gauge measured the water level at 37 centimeters (14.6 inches) on Saturday afternoon. Large, heavy ships cannot pass if the level drops below 40 cm (15.7 in). While the depth of the shipping lane in the Kaub was still about 150 centimeters (59 inches), experts say the passage becomes difficult even for light or specially adapted cargo ships if the water level drops below 35 centimeters (14 inches). at the range point. A reading below 30 cm (11.8 in) is considered impassable. Maritime authorities predict that this point could be reached early next week, although it is unclear whether the water level will reach the record low of 25cm measured at the Kaub gauge in October 2018. Logistics company Contargo said on Friday that it is preparing to stop shipping on the Upper and Middle Rhine for security reasons and plans to move some of its cargo on trucks. However, road and rail freight capacity is limited. Companies along the Rhine that rely on ships to pick up raw materials and deliver finished products are expected to face delays and shortages. Coal-fired power stations and gas stations could also experience supply shortages if shipping on the Rhine is halted. Forecasters predicted rain over the next few days, although it was unclear whether it would be enough to keep the water level of the Rhine from falling to the point where it affects shipping. In Italy, authorities have allowed more water to flow from Lake Garda into dried-up local rivers such as the Po that farmers use to irrigate crops. Coupled with Italy’s worst drought in decades, the country’s largest lake is nearing its lowest water level ever recorded.
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