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WORLD NEWS Thursday 11 augusT 2022

Rhine River could fall below critical mark, risking industry

By DANIEL NIEMANN and in October 2018, many
FRANK JORDANS large ships could struggle
Associated Press to safely pass the river at
COLOGNE, Germany (AP) that spot, located roughly
— Water levels on the Rhine mid-way along the Rhine
River could reach a criti- between Koblenz and
cally low point in the com- Mainz.
ing days, German officials “The situation is quite dra-
said Wednesday, making matic, but not as dramatic
it increasingly difficult to yet as in 2018,” said Chris-
transport goods — includ- tian Lorenz, a spokesman
ing coal and gasoline — as for the German logistics
drought and an energy cri- company HGK.
sis grip Europe. From France and Italy, Eu-
Weeks of dry weather rope is struggling with dry The river Rhine is pictured with low water in Cologne, Germany,
have turned several of Eu- spells, shrinking waterways Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2022.
rope’s major waterways and heat waves that are Associated Press
into trickles, posing a head- becoming more severe said Alexandrin, the Trans- already expecting flat eco-
ache for German facto- and frequent because of port Ministry spokesman. nomic growth in Germany
ries and power plants that climate change. Low water Those other options will be in the third quarter and a
rely on deliveries by ship levels are another blow for more expensive and take contraction in the last three
and making an economic industry in Germany, which longer, with the higher months of the year, “the
slowdown ever more likely. is struggling with shrinking cost making it impossible in low water level in the Rhine
Transporting goods by in- flows of natural gas that some cases, said Andrew simply makes a recession
land waterways is more im- have sent prices surging. Cunningham, chief Europe even more likely,” Cunning-
portant in Germany than in Due to the lack of water, economist for Capital Eco- ham said.
many other Western Euro- ships bringing salt down nomics. HGK and other shipping
pean countries, according the Rhine River from Hei- The river transportation is- companies are preparing
to Capital Economics. lbronn to Cologne that sues are not problematic for a “new normal” in which
“This is particularly the case would normally carry 2,200 for German industry as low water levels become
for the Rhine, whose nauti- metric tons (2,425 U.S. tons) shrinking flows and rising more common as global
cal bottleneck at Kaub has of cargo are only able to prices for natural gas, he warming makes droughts
very low water levels but transport about 600 tons, said, with Russia having more severe, sapping wa-
which remains navigable he said. reduced deliveries to Ger- ter along the length of the
for ships with small drafts,” “Of course, we hope that many through the Nord Rhine from the Swiss Alps to
said Tim Alexandrin, a shipping won’t be halted, Stream 1 pipeline to 20% of the North Sea.
spokesman for Germany’s but we saw in 2018 that capacity. But the woes on “There’s no denying cli-
Transport Ministry. when water levels got very the Rhine could still take a mate change and the in-
Authorities predict that wa- low the gas stations sud- small bite out of econom- dustry is adjusting to it,” said
ter levels at Kaub will dip denly had no more fuel ic growth if they last until Lorenz.
below the mark of 40 centi- because ships couldn’t get December, add a bit to All new ships being ordered
meters (16 inches) early Fri- through,” Lorenz said. already-high inflation and by the company will be
day and keep falling over Authorities are taking steps lead industrial production built with a view to making
the weekend. While this is to shift more goods traffic to drop slightly, the econo- them suitable for low wa-
still higher than the record onto the rail network and, mist said. ter levels on the Rhine, he
low of 27 centimeters seen if necessary, give it priority, But with Capital Economics said.q

Wildfire in southwestern France: 8,000 people evacuated

flames last month. have burned in the Gironde
The blaze forced the evac- region and the neighboring
uation of about 8,000 peo- Landes in the latest wildfire
ple and destroyed at least to erupt in a European na-
sixteen houses. A major tion as the continent swel-
highway near the city of ters through a hot and dry
Bordeaux was closed on summer. French Interior
Wednesday afternoon due Minister Gerald Darmanin
to the fire raging nearby. announced that more fire-
Authorities in Spain´s north- fighters have been sent to
ern Basque Country region the site in an effort to con-
said France has stopped tain the fire. In total, more
freight trucks from crossing than 1,000 firefighters, nine
the border at Irun due to aircraft and two helicop-
This photo provided by the fire brigade of the Gironde region the fire. ters have been mobilized,
SDIS 33, (Departmental fire and rescue service 33) shows flames Photos released by firefight- he said.
consume trees at a forest fire in Saint Magne, south of Bordeaux,
south western France, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2022. ers showed flames raging The Gironde region was hit
Associated Press through pine forests, send- last month by major wild-
ing clouds of dark gray fires that forced the evacu-
PARIS (AP) — Firefighters on Wednesday in a re- smoke soaring into the sky. ation of more than 39,000
were battling a wildfire gion known for its pine for- More than 60 square kilo- people, including residents
in southwestern France ests that was ravaged by meters (23 square miles) and tourists.q