Economy
Inland Waterway Freight Transport Significantly Lower Due to Drought
Low water levels during the summer of 2026 caused major issues for inland shipping in the Netherlands. According to Statistics Netherlands (CBS), August saw nearly 19% less freight transported by weight compared to the previous year, totaling 21.8 million tons—the lowest August figure in fifteen years. Ships averaged 1,299 tons per trip, down from the usual 1,500 tons. Transport to Germany dropped by almost 40%, and to France by over 41%. However, shipments to Belgium increased, mainly due to more oil transport, linked to the Iran war and Strait of Hormuz closure.
Ozetta summarises; the reporting is the newsroom's