Rhine ferries can run again after low water

After weeks of forced suspension due to historically low water levels on the Rhine River, more river ferries are resuming operations. The economic impact of the prolonged halt has been substantial, according to one ferry operator. Jens Jansen, who operates a ferry service between Dusseldorf’s southern area and Zons (Dormagen), told the Deutsche Presse-Agentur that the pause since July and August had caused significant financial losses. “Since we generate a large portion of our revenue during spring and summer, the economic consequences are considerable,” he said. The water levels on the Rhine reached historic lows this month, forcing many ferry services to stop operating. The ferry service between Dusseldorf and Zons, which is popular with both car drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians planning trips to Zons' historic old town, especially on weekends during good weather, was affected significantly this year due to drought conditions and extreme low water levels. Similarly, the ferry operated by the Heimat- und Bürgerverein Bislich, which runs between Xanten and Wesel on the Lower Rhine, planned to resume operations on Saturday after three weeks of suspension. This marked the longest naturally caused suspension due to low water levels, surpassing the two-week pause in 2022. According to ferry captain Philipp Feine, the only time they had a longer interruption was due to a mechanical issue. Other ferry services have also resumed operations. The Fähre Weiß in Cologne started running again on Friday, while the Siebengebirge ferry in Bad Honnef (North Rhine-Westphalia) and the ferry in Kaub (Rhineland-Palatinate) began operations on Thursday. “Things have eased a bit, but who knows what might happen this summer,” said representatives from the Kaub Ferry Association. They were unable to operate for 11 days. However, some restrictions still apply in certain areas. In Bad Honnef, due to the continued low water level, only cars up to the size of a Volkswagen bus can be transported, excluding motorhomes and trucks. Additionally, the Rhine ferry between Bad Breisig and Bad Hönning (Rhineland-Palatinate) limited the maximum weight per vehicle to 7.5 tons. A special low-water ramp allowed the ferry service to continue despite these constraints. The Hitdorfer passenger ferry, which typically transports around 350 people daily between Leverkusen and Cologne or vice versa in July, will resume operations earliest on Monday, according to a spokesperson from the city of Leverkusen. The over 30-day forced suspension since July resulted in losses of approximately 30,000 euros. Water levels on the Rhine reached historic lows this month, with negative values recorded in Dusseldorf. The channel depth is notably lower than the respective bank water level, which stands at 1.59 meters in Dusseldorf. In recent days, the levels have risen significantly, with an expected value of nearly 40 centimeters in the state capital of North Rhine-Westphalia by Saturday. However, this remains a relatively low figure.