Saxony-Anhalt Eases Heavy Transport Rules Due to Low Water Levels

To mitigate the impact of persistent low water levels on inland waterways, the state of Saxony-Anhalt is implementing temporary measures to facilitate heavy goods transport. Effective immediately, road transports weighing up to 44 tons can be approved as oversized or heavy-duty even when their cargo is technically divisible.

The Infrastructure Ministry in Magdeburg announced the exception, which aims to prevent goods from being delayed or failing to reach their destinations due to the shallow water conditions. This special regulation is exclusively for transports that have been rerouted to the road network because of the low water levels and will remain in effect until September 30.

Normally, obtaining approval as an oversized or heavy-duty transport requires that the load cannot be easily split among multiple vehicles. However, for transports with a total weight of up to 44 tons, this requirement is temporarily waived. All other regulations pertaining to such transports will continue to apply.

The dry summer has led to critically low water levels on German inland waterways, significantly reducing the carrying capacity of ships. The ministry noted that this situation is disrupting crucial supply and logistics chains, necessitating a shift of some freight to road transport. Transport Minister Lydia Hüskens stated that the special rule provides greater flexibility for businesses. The logistics industry welcomed the measure, with Sven Köcke, chairman of the state's logistics advisory board, explaining that the increased load capacity per trip can reduce the number of necessary journeys, thereby mitigating the consequences of disrupted supply chains.