Will the drought in Europe affect your river cruise vacation?
cargo ship is worse The terrible news we read about Europe, in particular the drop in water levels along the Rhine, mainly concerns the European maritime sector. "The Rhine is an important thoroughfare for France and a transport link with Germany and Switzerland," says Schreiner. Merchant ships cannot carry general cargo at low tide. This is because the weight of the cargo carried by these vessels affects the draft (the distance between the bottom and the waterline). Since heavy ships are in the water, it is necessary to increase the distance from the floating line to the bottom of the river to move safely without scratching the river. If the ship is forced to reduce the load to cross shallow water, a small load can be worn immediately. Businesses need more ships to transport the same amount of goods, and freight rates are rising, all of which have a negative impact on the European economy. According to Schreiner, the most recent extremely low water level in Europe in 2018 h