06.08.2026 – "We cannot rely on rain alone – and rain dancing is not a strategy. Acting sustainably and responsibly means strengthening the mode of transport that moves large quantities of goods efficiently and in an environmentally friendly manner. Goods need to be physically transported; there is no way around that. Therefore, we now need reliable, resilient infrastructure that does not hinder but supports and promotes shipping."

The Federal Government needs to act: it should better adapt its inland waterways to low water phases. Measures such as channel optimizations and modern bed management should therefore be consistently implemented. They can significantly contribute to maintaining shipping during low water phases for longer periods, thereby reducing economic impacts.

Ultimately, the affected companies also have limited alternatives to inland shipping. Shifting traffic to rail and road is usually not an option due to capacity constraints and higher transport costs. If the average freight capacity decreases by 25 percent due to low water levels, approximately 3 million tons of goods per month are not transported via the Rhine. This corresponds to about 120,000 truckloads. We lack such capacities in terms of trucks and drivers.

Germany needs reliable waterways even during low water events. Necessary adaptations, therefore, must not be ruled out from the outset."

Regarding the outcomes of the crisis meeting

Dirk Binding also commented on the results of the Low Water Conference on the afternoon of August 6:

"The emergency response plan adopted today is crucial to mitigating the immediate economic impacts of low water levels. Additional options for road and rail can provide companies with some relief in the short term. However, the real tasks are still ahead of us.

We need to make our waterways resilient to low water events and other extreme weather conditions. This is not a sprint but a long-distance effort. Many of the measures discussed today have been known for decades but were never tackled. Deepening channels and removing bottlenecks are among the most urgent actions that must now be implemented without delay. The new Infrastructure Future Act faces its first major test here."