Shippers prepare for worst in Germany as Rhine River levels reach near critical mark

Shipping companies prepared to halt the transport of goods on the Rhine River as water levels in Germany's biggest river neared a critically low point Saturday.

An ongoing drought affecting much of Europe has lowered rivers such as the Rhine, preventing large ships with heavy loads from passing key waypoints and forcing them to use smaller vessels or to split cargoes into multiple shipments.

At one bottleneck, near the town of Kaub on the Middle Rhine, an official gauge measured the water level at 37 centimeters (14.6 inches) on Saturday afternoon. Big, heavy ships can't pass if the level falls below 40 centimeters (15.7 inches).

While the depth of the shipping lane in Kaub was still about 150 centimeters (59 inches), experts say passage becomes tricky even for light or specially adapted cargo ships if water levels fall below 35 centimeters (14 inches) at the gauge mark. A reading below 30 centimeters (11.8 inches) is considered unpassable.

Shipping authorities predict that point could be reached early next week, though it is unclear whether water levels will reach the record low of 25 centimeters measured at the Kaub gauge in October 2018.