VDA calls for better road freight contingencies as drought hits river levels

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. 

Read more: Low water levels in European waterways threaten to disrupt logistics

As heatwave after heatwave has hit parts of Europe, water levels in rivers such as the Rhine and the Danube have impacted inland freight operations, causing disruption to automotive logistics networks and the introduction of surcharges.

 The VDA said the low water levels had 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 Positivnetz 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.  

“Quick political decisions are now required because companies and freight forwarders need planning and investment security about which combinations they are allowed to use permanently,” said the association in a post on LinkedIn.