Extreme Heat Causes Danube Water Levels to Recede, Disrupting Cargo Shipping

The Austrian government has stated that cargo shipping along the country’s section of the Danube River has nearly come to a standstill due to very low water levels, while cruise ship traffic has also been significantly disrupted. “Cargo shipping has practically ground to a halt, while cruise ship voyages are also severely restricted,” the Ministry of Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure said on Tuesday.

The ministry noted that water levels in some parts of the Danube not equipped with hydraulic structures are around 60 centimetres below the long-term average low water level. The navigable channel depth is currently around two metres in the Wachau Valley and 1.8 metres east of Vienna, the statement added.

While no navigation ban has been imposed, cargo ships have been forced to drastically reduce their loads, making rail and road transport currently more economically advantageous. Many river cruises are operating under restrictions or have been cancelled entirely, according to Austrian officials.

The ministry compared the current situation to the extreme low-water periods of 2003 and 2018, noting that this year’s low water began unusually early in August, whereas such conditions typically occur in late summer or autumn. Dredging operations are being carried out in cooperation with the inland waterway operator Viadonau, alongside other measures to maintain navigability.

Austria, like other Central European countries, is experiencing a period of extreme heat and drought. Vienna recorded a new temperature record for the capital on Tuesday, reaching 40.2 degrees Celsius. The heatwave and falling Danube water levels have also disrupted shipping and energy operations in Hungary and Romania.