HAMBURG, July 28 (Reuters) - Heavy rain has raised water levels on the river Rhine in Germany enabling normal shipping in some areas, but the river is still too shallow in northern areas for cargo vessels to sail fully loaded, commodity traders said on Friday. "River water levels are falling regularly but also rising regularly so cargo is being delivered but with extra costs for industry." Water levels at the chokepoint of Kaub have risen sharply after hitting their lowest so far this year earlier this week and have now reached levels allowing full vessel loadings, they said. German industry is finding new ways to transport cargoes from coal to chemicals as increasingly frequent low water levels on the Rhine disrupt Europe's largest economy, major cargo shippers told Reuters. German companies faced supply bottlenecks and production problems in the summer of 2022 after a drought and heat wave led to unusually low water levels on the Rhine.

Source: The North Africa Journal July 29, 2023 11:50 UTC