Publication of a new study on low water

Ms Saskia Meuchelböck, researcher at Aarhus University (Denmark), has published a new study on the impact of low water levels on supply chains and firms. This study is part of the “RETHINK-GSC” (Rethink Global Supply Chains) project funded by the European Union.

The study is based on data from the 2018 low water period on German inland waterways, especially on the Rhine.

The main findings of this study are

• that the volume of goods transported by waterway (export and import) decreased significantly.
• that there were particularly sharp declines in exports among firms that depend on inland waterway transport for their imports, even if the exports were not transported by water.
• that firms continue to use alternative transport modes like rail and road, even after the return to normal water levels.

To read the entire study, click here.