Rhine River Hits Record Low of 2cm at Kaub, German Shipping Disrupted

This is a physical-supply story, not a sentiment one: Kaub is the Rhine's practical bottleneck, and a 2cm gauge reading constrains how much cargo barges can carry, which feeds directly into inland freight costs and the economics of moving bulk goods. The knock-on is broadest for sectors dependent on river logistics — energy products, chemicals and other heavy inputs — where rail and road are imperfect substitutes. Whether the gauges at Düsseldorf and Duisburg-Ruhrort also set records, and how long the low-water regime persists, is the open question.