German railway ups cargo capacity as low water forces waterway cuts

Germany's national rail operator, Deutsche Bahn, is trying to help out with the cargo crunch produced by low water in rivers by offering more freight transports by rail, according to information obtained by dpa on Wednesday. 

DB Cargo, the group's freight subsidiary, could mobilize around 400 additional freight wagons at short notice, chief executive Bernhard Osburg said at a meeting at the Transport Ministry, according to the information.

Up to 500 more freight wagons could be made available in the coming months for a long-term standby concept to deal with low water, though funding would still need to be clarified.

Osburg said DB Cargo could in the short term replace up to 100 inland cargo vessels and in the long term around 200 vessels with a standby concept. 

"A single freight train can replace up to 10 inland cargo vessels due to higher turnaround speed," he reportedly said.

Special coordinator for freight trains

Some 4,500 freight trains run daily on the German network operated by rail infrastructure company DB InfraGO, and more than 220 railway companies use the network, according to the information given to dpa.

DB InfraGO has a special low-water coordinator who focuses and manages north-south traffic along the Rhine and Elbe, it said. Freight services are currently also being made possible via diversions.

Several German states have recently suspended the Sunday driving ban for lorries to shift transports at least partly onto the roads.

Transport minister wants waterway expansion

Meanwhile, Transport Minister Steffen Bilger is also calling for further waterway expansion, as some of the country's key maritime thoroughfares, like the Rhine, reach record lows.