The water level of the Rhine River in Germany has reached a historic low, potentially leading to disruptions in shipping.

The water level of the Rhine River at the Koblenz section has dropped to about 8 centimeters, setting a new historical low, with the previous record being 25 centimeters in October 2018. The Koblenz section, located between Koblenz and Mainz in Rhineland-Palatinate, is an important reference point for measuring the shipping conditions on the Rhine. The German Inland Navigation Association has warned that if the water level at Koblenz falls to single digits, the Rhine may not be navigable along its entire length, and north-south shipping could even be cut off. Currently, shipping south of Koblenz is severely restricted, with forecasts predicting that the water level will further drop to 5 to 6 centimeters by the weekend.