VDA calls for better road freight contingencies as drought hits river levels
The German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) has been calling for better road freight contingencies as this summer’s drought conditions shrink river levels on the Rhine, an important inland waterway for German cargo movements.
Schmitz Cargobull’s EcoDuo trailer combination provides a truck length of 31.7 metres
Schmitz Cargobull
Historically low water levels have been recorded on the Middle Rhine between Mainz and Bonn in August, down to 6cm on the Kaub, one of the shallowest stretches of the river. Areas around Cologne, Düsseldorf, Duisburg-Ruhrort and Emmerich were also affected, though water levels are now improving thanks to rainfall in late August.
A VDA spokesperson told Automotive Logistics that the German automotive industry is continuously monitoring the situation. “Where necessary, our companies are shifting transport to alternative modes such as road and rail. Alternative ports can also be used to create additional transport capacity. These flexible alternatives can help avoid supply bottlenecks. There are therefore currently no acute supply risks for the German automotive industry.”
Nevertheless, the VDA said the low water levels have put an increasing burden on supply chains and the German economy. To meet the demand for goods, raw materials and material deliveries, it called for an increase in the shift to road and rail for freight transport.
One option flagged up by the VDA is approval for the use of longer trucks of up to 25.25 metres, which are currently restricted to certain routes in the EU. Standard truck combinations are capped at a maximum length of 18.75 metres under EU law but extra-long vehicles measuring up to 25.25 metres (often called gigaliners) are regulated in specific EU countries that permit them on designated national networks. Regulations and authorisation vary greatly from country to country. In Germany they can only travel on the Positivenetz road network, which stretches across the country and covers main arterial routes and major highways. The precise distance covered by the Positivnetz is continually managed through federal amendments. The Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV) last expanded the network In the Thirteenth Amendment to the Long Truck Ordinance, which came into force on January 31, 2025. The VDA is looking for further allowance for the trucks on German roads to cope with the bottlenecks caused by the recurrent impact of climate change on the inland waterway network.
Another option raised by the VDA is the use of two standard semi-trailers combined and pulled by one tractor unit, the EcoDuo, made by Schmitz Cargobull, providing a length of 31.7 metres. According to the trailer company the EcoDuo enables road freight transport to be carried out more efficiently while also making an active contribution to climate protection through reduced CO2 emissions and lower road load per axle.
“The current low water levels once again clearly demonstrate that alternative transport routes and systems are needed to reliably meet the demand for goods from private households and businesses,” said the VDA spokesperson. “Longer and heavier vehicles or vehicle combinations such as the EcoDuo could contribute to the necessary flexibilisation of logistics.”
Emphasising that the shift to road can be balanced with sustainable goals, the VDA said that low-emission and zero-emission trucks will be of central importance to the future of road freight transport. “To achieve the ambitious climate targets in heavy-duty transport, all available potential – such as the use of longer and heavier vehicles – must be fully exploited to reduce CO₂ emissions,” said the spokesperson.
Swift political decisions need to be made to bolster the planning and investment decisions made by freight forwarders who are assessing which vehicle combinations will be permitted on a permanent basis.
“We are in favor of permanently transitioning the use of Type 1 longer and heavier vehicles into regular operation as well,” said the VDA’s spokesperson. “The existing regulations in this regard must no longer have the character of a trial scheme. To this end, the Federal Ministry of Transport must create the necessary legal framework for permanent and unlimited authorisation.”
The VDA maintains that this legal decision must be brought into line with the directive on weights and dimensions in cross-border transport (under the EU Weights and Dimensions Directive). In 2023, the European Commission presented a proposal for higher weights and axle loads and negotiations are currently underway.
“We call on the Federal Government and the EU Member States not to further water down the current draft of the directive in the negotiations,” said the VDA spokesperson. “The directive must be adopted promptly and then implemented consistently.”
She added that the expansion of road infrastructure must be advanced accordingly, and funds from the special infrastructure fund must be made available for this purpose.
Irrespective of the current low water situation affecting inland waterways in Germany the VDA said that policymakers need to consistently drive forward the upgrading of infrastructure to ensure that logistics processes by road and rail can continue to function reliably in the future. That requires that funds be made available from the special infrastructure fund for maintenance and expansion.
