At the heart of the resolution is a proposed coordinated European low-water action plan. The UECC calls on the European Commission and Member States to coordinate measures for waterways, vessels, ports, rail and road across the main transport corridors. Suitable rail freight capacity and alternative routes should be identified in advance, while major works affecting those routes should be better coordinated.Davor Sertic, President of the UECC, said:“Europe needs to act faster to make its inland wa￾terways resilient to low water. Agreed infrastructure projects need secure funding and firm schedules. Ports need capacity to store and transfer goods, and vessels must be able to ope￾rate more effectively when water levels fall. The Rhine and the Danube both demand a coordi￾nated response.”The UECC also calls for faster delivery of waterway projects, backed by long-term funding and sufficient planning capacity. Construction and maintenance should be organised to keep navigation possible wherever practicable. Where closures cannot be avoided, operators need advance notice and predictable windows for passage.Low water affects industry beyond freight transport: it can also restrict access to cooling and process water. The resolution therefore calls for coordinated plans that identify industrial wa￾ter needs early and prepare clear procedures for periods of shortage.Companies also need better information to plan shipments across borders. The UECC proposes comparable European low-water classifications and machine-readable information on water levels and navigation conditions. It further calls for support for vessels designed or adapted to operate at low water, alongside investment in storage and transshipment capacity at inland ports.Finally, the UECC supports high security standards in ports and on waterways, with require￾ments based on specific risks and proportionate to them.

UECC Resolution Niedrigwasser Aarau Sept 2026 Final

PM UECC Resolution Niedrigwasser Aarau 29 Sept 2026

UECC Niedrigwasser AdobeStock_526310748 L.jpg

UECC Niedrigwasser AdobeStock 526310748 L

Pressemitteilung der Europäischen Kammern für Verkehr (UECC) zu Niedrigwasser September 30 2026 

Europäische Industrie- und Handelskammern fordern starke WasserstraßenLuxemburg, 29 September 2029 - Die Union Europäischer Industrie- und Handelskammern für Verkehrs- und Mobilitätsfragen (UECC) fordert einen stärkeren europäischen Fokus auf die Binnenwasserstraßen. Mit der in Aarau verabschiedeten Resolution „Starke Wasserstraßen für ein starkes Europa“ legt sie zehn konkrete Forderungen für leistungsfähigere Infrastruktur, verlässlichere Transportbedingungen und widerstandsfähigere Lieferketten vor.Rund 41.000 Kilometer Binnenwasserstraßen durchziehen die EU-Mitgliedstaaten. Auf ihnen werden jährlich etwa 118 Milliarden Tonnenkilometer Güterverkehr erbracht. Rhein, Main, Mo-sel, Donau und das europäische Kanalnetz verbinden Industriezentren, Häfen und Märkte über nationale Grenzen hinweg.Die UECC fordert unter anderem, Engpässe schneller zu beseitigen und bereits beschlossene Infrastrukturprojekte mit gesicherter Finanzierung, ausreichenden Planungskapazitäten und verbindlichen Zeitplänen umzusetzen. Planungs- und Genehmigungsverfahren sollen be-schleunigt und stärker digitalisiert werden. Die Resolution nennt konkrete Projekte an Rhein, Main und Donau in mehreren europäischen Staaten.Davor Sertic, Präsident der UECC: „Europa muss auf seinen Wasserstraßen schneller ins Bauen kommen. Beschlossene Projekte brauchen feste Zeitpläne und gesicherte Finanzie-rung. Bauarbeiten dürfen die Schifffahrt möglichst nicht vollständig unterbrechen, Häfen brau-chen ausreichend Lager- und Umschlagkapazitäten und die Flotte muss besser auf niedrige Wasserstände vorbereitet werden. Das gilt für den Rhein genauso wie für die Donau.“Ein weiterer Schwerpunkt ist die Widerstandsfähigkeit des gesamten Verkehrssystems. Bei Engpässen auf Rhein, Donau oder anderen europäischen Wasserstraßen müssen Bahn, Straße und Häfen als Ausweichmöglichkeiten besser vorbereitet sein. Die UECC fordert des-halb zusätzliche Güterzugverbindungen auf geeigneten Strecken, eine bessere Abstimmung großer Baustellen und zusätzliche Lager- und Umschlagkapazitäten in Binnenhäfen.Auch während Bau- und Unterhaltungsarbeiten sollen Wasserstraßen möglichst durchgehend befahrbar bleiben. Wo Vollsperrungen unvermeidbar sind, sollen frühzeitig verlässliche Durch-fahrtsfenster eingerichtet werden. Gleichzeitig sollen Investitionen in Schiffe stärker gefördert werden, die auch bei niedrigen Wasserständen leistungsfähig bleiben.Zudem sollen Informationen über Wasserstände und verfügbare Fahrrinnen europaweit besser vergleichbar werden. Ziel sind einheitlich verständliche Informationen, die Unternehmen ent-lang eines gesamten Transportkorridors für ihre Planung nutzen können.Auch bei Sicherheitsvorgaben spricht sich die UECC für einen praxisnahen Ansatz aus. Hohe Sicherheitsstandards seien unverzichtbar, müssten aber risikobasiert und verhältnismäßig bleiben. Pauschale zusätzliche Vorgaben dürften den Hafen- und Schifffahrtsbetrieb nicht un-nötig erschweren.

Resolution - Europäische Industrie- und Handelskammern fordern starke Wasserstraßen

 UECC Transport News Briefing September 2026

Chambers of Commerce Publish Survey on the Impact of Low Water LevelsThe gauge at Duisburg-Ruhrort currently reads 149 centimetres. Never before has the Rhine carried so little water. Across Germany, river gauges are showing historic lows. Businesses are sounding the alarm, according to a survey conducted by the Chambers of Commerce and Industry (IHKs) along the Rhine. Three quarters of companies are affected by low water levels, and the trend is worsening.The German IHKs and their colleauges from the UECC are calling for €2.5 billion in annual investment in Germany’s waterways. They also support the proposal by North Rhine-Westphalia Transport Minister Oliver Krischer to establish a Low Water Task Force.“What could still be transported on a single inland waterway vessel only a few weeks ago now has to be split across several shipments. Supply chains are coming under pressure and transport is becoming more expensive. Companies are increasingly switching to road and rail, but the volumes of freight involved are simply too large,” says Werner Schaurte-Küppers, President of the Lower Rhine Chamber of Commerce and Industry.He continues: “This situation did not come without warning. Too little has happened since the last extreme low-water event in 2018. Businesses and consumers are now paying the price. In the short term, we are hoping for rainfall. In the long term, our economy needs resilient waterways capable of withstanding crises. This will require billions in investment as well as the necessary political will. We support NRW Transport Minister Oliver Krischer’s proposal for a Low Water Task Force. The Federal Government, the Länder, businesses and ports must act together. Accessibility and reliable transport connections are essential for our economy.”<h3>“Low water is not a regional problem”</h3>“Low water is not a regional problem. It poses a risk to industrial supply chains and economic development throughout Germany and beyond,” stresses Davor Sertic, President of the Union of European Chambers of Commerce and Industry for Transport and Mobility (UECC).He explains: “Particularly on the Rhine, faster planning and approval procedures are needed in order to optimise the navigable channel. The Federal Government must also consistently implement the additional measures set out in the Rhine Low Water Action Plan, including support for vessels with a shallow draught.”<h3>Three quarters of companies affected</h3>The IHK survey illustrates the scale of the record-low water levels on the Rhine:77% of companies report higher costs. 75% have had to adapt their logistics processes. One in four companies is already reducing production. 7% have stopped production processes. 14% believe the continued viability of their location is at risk.The impact is particularly evident in logistics costs. More than half of the companies surveyed report an increase of at least 25%. For almost one third, logistics costs have risen by 50% or more.Industries dependent on raw materials and high-volume freight transport are particularly vulnerable to restrictions on the Rhine. Major production sites for the steel, chemical, petroleum, mechanical engineering, grain and animal feed industries are located along the river. These companies depend on the reliable transport of large quantities of goods.Low water levels could also influence future logistics and investment decisions. Around one third of companies intend to transport fewer goods by inland waterway in the future, while approximately one quarter plan to adjust their warehousing strategies.<h3>IHKs call for €2.5 billion for waterways</h3>The German Chambers of Commerce and Industry and UECC members are calling for increased federal investment in waterways.“Annual investment of €2.5 billion is needed – more than €1 billion above the current level. The objective is to modernise the waterways, optimise the Rhine’s navigable channel and advance research. This is money well spent. In 2018, low water levels temporarily reduced German industrial production by around 1.5%,” says Fabian Griewel, transport expert at the Lower Rhine Chamber of Commerce and Industry.According to calculations by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, the 2018 low-water event cost Germany approximately 0.4 percentage points of economic output. The Chambers of Commerce along the Rhine warn that substantial economic damage could occur again this year.<h3>Background information on the survey</h3>The business survey conducted by the Chambers of Commerce and Industry along the Rhine took place between 29 July and 4 August.More than 150 companies from all sections of the Rhine and from companies of all sizes participated. More than three quarters of the participating businesses operate in the logistics and industrial sectors.

PM UECC zur Niedrigwasser Problematik an Donau, Rhein und Mosel

pegel-niedrigwasser-copyright-Niederrheinische-IHK-Eugen Shkolnikov.jpg

Pegel niedrigwasser copyright Niederrheinische IHK Eugen Shkolnikov

Rhein Niedrigwasser Copyright UECC improved by AI.png

Rhein Niedrigwasser Copyright UECC improved by AI

"Angespannte Situation durch Niedrigwasser: Wirtschaft braucht eine Taskforce“

UECC Transport News Briefing July 2026

UECC - Page not found

Rund 41.000 Kilometer Binnenwasserstraßen durchziehen die EU-Mitgliedstaaten. Auf ihnen werden jährlich etwa 118 Milliarden Tonnenkilometer Güterverkehr erbracht. Rhein, Main, Mosel, Donau und das europäische Kanalnetz verbinden Industriezentren, Häfen und Märkte über nationale Grenzen hinweg.Die UECC fordert unter anderem, Engpässe schneller zu beseitigen und bereits beschlossene Infrastrukturprojekte mit gesicherter Finanzierung, ausreichenden Planungskapazitäten und verbindlichen Zeitplänen umzusetzen. Planungs- und Genehmigungsverfahren sollen beschleunigt und stärker digitalisiert werden. Die Resolution nennt konkrete Projekte an Rhein, Main und Donau in mehreren europäischen Staaten.

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English: Press Message about Low water from the European Chambers of Commerce for transport (UECC) September-30-2026

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