Low river levels hamper economy/ Germany's economy expected to shrink by 0.2% in the third quarter
Germany's rivers are suffering from a lack of rain. Historically low water levels are hampering navigation on the Rhine and Danube, affecting the economy. The Rhine and Danube rivers have not had so little water for a long time. Historically low water levels have been measured in some places, and the cause is high temperatures in many areas and persistent drought. The prolonged dry weather has caused the water level to drop on Europe's busiest inland waterway, which connects the major port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands with most of western Germany.
Persistently low water levels on the Rhine River, which make it difficult for cargo and passenger ships to navigate, could lead to a decrease in Germany's Gross Domestic Product in the third quarter of up to 0.2%, the Kiel Institute for the World Economy announced.
The national meteorological service is now predicting a new period of high temperatures, especially in southern areas of Germany.
Important goods such as grain, minerals, ores, coal and petroleum products as well as gasoline are transported across the Rhine. When the water level drops too low, transport ships cannot sail fully loaded and are forced to distribute the load across several ships.
Traders have reported that some ships plying inland waterways are operating at only 15% to 20% of their maximum cargo capacity. This increases transport costs and puts additional pressure on the economy, which had recently started to show signs of a modest recovery.
The German Waterways Authority expects the Rhine river level to drop to around 25 centimeters by Friday, repeating the lowest record set in October 2018. "Since water levels cannot suddenly rise above the critical threshold at the beginning of August, transport capacity is expected to remain limited for a period over the next month," experts say.
Southern Europe engulfed in flames/Critical situation in Greece and Turkey. Firefighting continues in Spain and France
While emergency teams in France and Spain continue to try to control forest fires, new outbreaks of fire have been recorded in Turkey and Greece. In the......
Punonjës nga Vietnami, ministrja e ekonomisë Ibrahimaj nënshkruan memorandumin e mirëkuptimit
Ministrja e Ekonomisë dhe Inovacionit, Delina Ibrahimaj, dhe zëvendësministri i Brendshëm i Republikës Socialiste të Vietnamit, Vũ Chiến Thắng, nënshkruan në......
“Durrësi, nyja që mund të ndryshojë Ballkanin”/ Analiza e “Ilsole24ore” shpjegon pse Shqipëria po bëhet porta e re e Europës
Shqipëria po fiton një rol gjithnjë e më të rëndësishëm në hartën strategjike të Evropës. Ky është përfundimi i një analize të publikuar nga e përditshmja......
Wage inequality falls to 4.6%/ The gap narrows, but some professions remain with differences over 20%
The gender pay gap in Albania has improved in 2025. According to the data, the difference between the average salary of women and men decreased to 4.6%, from......
OSSH, investment in the outskirts of Tirana/ More secure energy supply in Farka, Kashar and Ndroq
The Regional Directorate of the Distribution System Operator for Tirana has announced the tender procedure for the construction of new 20 kilovolt cabins and......
"CVs awaiting a response"/ Hasalla: Every application must be evaluated and the candidate informed
Online employment platforms have become one of the main ways to search for a job. Dozens of job advertisements are published every day, while the number of......
Halving road fatalities by 2030/ New strategy: Measures for road infrastructure and control
“Halving the number of road accident fatalities by the end of the decade.” This is one of the objectives of the National Road Safety Strategy 2026–2030,......
False customs clearance documents, case referred to SPAK/ Beja: OLAF has been notified, violates EU financial interests
The General Directorate of Customs has recently referred to the Special Prosecution Office against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK), a case related to......
