NRW minister demands federal funds for Rhine fairway expansion amid low water
Oliver Krischer, transport minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, calls on the federal government to release money for the second phase of the Rhine fairway deepening between Krefeld and Düsseldorf, after low water forces ships to reduce cargo.
Low water disrupts Rhine shipping
Low water levels on the Rhine are forcing cargo ships to reduce their loads, disrupting supply chains in Germany's industrial heartland. Ships are currently forced to carry less cargo to avoid running aground, increasing transport costs and delaying deliveries. The current low water episode has prompted North Rhine-Westphalia's transport minister Oliver Krischer (Greens) to call on the federal government to release funds for a planned deepening of the fairway between Duisburg and Cologne. The water and shipping administration, a federal agency, cannot implement the second construction phase because the government cut the funding in 2025. Low water events on the Rhine have become more frequent in recent years, a trend linked to climate change, and are threatening the reliability of Europe's busiest inland waterway.
Krischer demands federal funds
Krischer told the German Press Agency that the second phase between Krefeld and Düsseldorf is ready for construction but stalled.
We expect the federal government to make the funds available at short notice so that construction can begin and further planning can proceed.
He stressed that the federal government must live up to its responsibility for the Rhine as a federal waterway. North Rhine-Westphalia will press this demand at a "Länder-Konferenz Rhein" scheduled for September 4, 2026, with the states of Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse and Baden-Württemberg. At the conference, the state will demand that Berlin restore the funding for the second phase. The meeting will bring together the four states that depend on the Rhine for industry and transport.
Fairway expansion plan
The expansion project aims to make the Rhine more navigable during low water by removing large stones that protrude into the shipping channel at certain points. This would allow vessels to carry larger loads without running aground when water levels are low. The work is divided into three phases. The first phase, between Duisburg and Krefeld, has already been completed. The second phase, between Krefeld and Düsseldorf, is ready for construction but stalled due to the 2025 funding cut. The third phase, between Düsseldorf and Cologne, is still in the planning stage. The completion of the first phase demonstrates that the stone-removal technique can improve navigability during low water.
Industrial lifeline
North Rhine-Westphalia's economics minister Mona Neubaur (Greens) emphasized the Rhine's importance for the region's industry.
The Rhine has always been the lifeblood of our industry. Now it must also become a symbol of how we adapt our industrial location to climate change: pragmatically, open to technology and in harmony with nature.
Her comments reflect the growing recognition that infrastructure must be adapted to more frequent low-water events. The 2025 funding cut has drawn criticism from state officials who argue that climate adaptation measures cannot be delayed. The Rhine is a critical transport artery for coal, steel, chemicals and other goods, and any disruption has ripple effects across the economy.
