The Rhine river is effectively closing due to unusually low water levels, Javier Blas reports (2026-07-30), disrupting transport of petroleum refined products, chemical commodities, coal and steel. That disruption has pushed Rhine barge freight costs to an all-time high, according to a Bloomberg 'chart of the day' linked by Blas, with knock-on supply-chain and energy delivery risks across Europe.
Javier Blas (Twitter/X) posted on 2026-07-30 that the Rhine river is closing because of low water levels, disrupting a major European inland waterway.
CHART OF THE DAY: The Rhine river, a key waterway for petroleum refined products, chemical commodities, coal and steel, is closing due to low water levels.
As a result, the freight cost for Rhine barges has zoomed to an all-time high.
🔗: bloomberg.com/opinion/articl…