Danube River Hits Critical Low, Halving Ship Capacity and Stranding Cargo

The Danube River's critically low water levels are causing significant disruptions to cargo transport, forcing ships to operate at reduced capacity and leaving some vessels stranded with undelivered goods for weeks. Water levels have dropped dramatically, nearing historic lows, which directly impacts the navigability of the vital European waterway.

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I didn't load it fully because of the low Danube level.

Ships are unable to load their full capacity due to the shallow depths, risking getting stuck on the sandy riverbed. In some instances, shipowners are transporting only half of their usual cargo, resulting in diminished revenues for them and increased costs for the goods being shipped. While traffic through the Sulina Canal remained stable compared to last year until June, the subsequent sharp decline in water levels has created problems on the Danube's riverine sections.

Silviu Pralea, a barge owner who regularly transports grain between Galați and Constanța, shared his experience. Since late June, his 960-ton capacity barge has been loaded to only about two-thirds of its capacity. "I didn't load it fully because of the low Danube level," Pralea explained. He noted that while he managed a few full trips at the start of the agricultural campaign, subsequent trips required significant reductions in cargo.

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One or two trips I made, at the beginning of the agricultural campaign, at maximum capacity, then the rest increasingly empty. This is the seventh trip.

The reduced cargo translates directly into lower earnings for transporters. Pralea reported that his earnings dropped from approximately 8,500 Euros for a nearly full load to 7,500-8,000 Euros for the current, partially loaded trips. The increased transport costs, from 55 lei per ton to 63 lei, are expected to be passed on to consumers. The drought conditions contributing to these low levels have also led to the surfacing of World War II shipwrecks along the Danube.

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The transport rate increased from 55 lei per ton to 63 lei, and the shipowner says this difference will ultimately reach the buyers.