News / Rising demand and lower water levels drive up barge charter rates

Mannheim River Port © Alessandro Tortora Dreamstime.com.

Germany’s repurposing of barge capacity to meet growing demand from the coal industry has left barge owners “ecstatic” – but it has heaped further pressure on northern Europe’s inland sector, as low water adds to the constraints.

In anticipation of Russian president Vladimir Putin turning off the gas in response to western sanctions over his war in Ukraine, the German government is feeding extra coal volumes to supply power plants.

“Barge-owners are cashing in on high demand and the high daily charter ...