Danube shallows: cargo shipping in Austria almost halted

Serious shallowing of the Danube has significantly disrupted shipping in Austria. Cargo transportation on the river has largely stopped, and about 30% of river cruises have been cancelled, reports Der Standard citing industry representatives.

The cause was a prolonged drought, high temperatures and lack of precipitation. Low water levels limit the permissible draft of vessels: cargo barges must be only partially loaded, and in the shallowest sections, movement becomes economically unviable or impossible.

However, there is no official closure of the Austrian section of the Danube. The state waterway operator viadonau continues to publish warnings about low water and special restrictions on individual sections. Current low water notices are in effect at least until August 17.

The problems have also noticeably affected passenger shipping. Low water levels force operators to shorten routes, cancel individual sailings, or transfer tourists to other transport. As early as the end of July, the largest Austrian carriers began to switch to reduced schedules due to the impossibility of passing some sections with standard routes.

The situation has worsened throughout the summer. Already by mid-July, Austrian experts warned that the further lack of rain would create serious problems for both regular transport and river cruises. At the same time, electricity generation at the country's hydroelectric power plants was about 30% below the multi-year average.

The shallowing of the Danube is also significant for Ukraine. The river remains part of the alternative transport corridors through which Ukrainian goods are exported to the EU and global markets. In March, the European Commission, Ukraine, Romania and Moldova separately agreed to continue the development of the Danube Plan for the stable operation of ports and transport in case of problems on other routes.

Through the European ‘Solidarity Lanes’, which include rail, road and inland waterway routes, 3.8 million tonnes of Ukrainian grain, oilseeds and related goods were exported in June 2026. Therefore, a further deterioration of navigation conditions on the Danube could increase the load on other logistical directions.

Low water levels remain a problem not only for Austria. The drought this summer has complicated the movement of vessels on various sections of the Danube in Central and Eastern Europe, and also affected the Rhine - another crucial transport artery of the region.

Based on materials: Der Standard, viadonau, European Commission