Cargo surcharge imposed as Rhine water level falls

Low water cargo surcharges have been imposed for cargo shipping on parts of the river Rhine in central Germany following a fall in water levels, traders said on Wednesday. Water levels at Cologne in central Germany have fallen below the minimum that vessels need to sail fully loaded.
Surcharges are imposed on cargo customers to compensate vessel owners for lost revenues. Water levels on the river's southern regions were also falling and traders said more surcharges could be imposed on other areas of the river in coming days. The Rhine is an important shipping route for commodities including grains, metal ores, coal and oil products including heating oil.