# Rhine water levels rise but freight costs keep climbing

> Rain in southwest Germany has lifted Rhine depths at Kaub from about 45cm to a forecast 68cm, allowing heavier loads. Tanker barge rates from Rotterdam to Karlsruhe still rose to €110-€120 per ton, more than double late-June levels.

- Date: 2026-07-16 · published 2026-07-16T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: logistics · region Europe · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/11242-rhine-water-levels-rise-but-freight-costs-keep-climbing
- Commodities: [Barge Freight (St. Louis)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/BARGE.md)

## Why it matters

Improving water levels should ease capacity constraints, but barges still sail partly loaded, so freight costs stay elevated. Persistent high barge rates keep logistics costs firm for feed imports into Germany.

## Read by commodity

- BARGE: bullish ▲

## Sources

- msn.com: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/insight/rhine-water-levels-rise-but-freight-costs-keep-climbing/gm-GME4AB1CCF?gemSnapshotKey=GME4AB1CCF-snapshot-0&uxmode=ruby

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.