As Europe's rivers recede, shippers scramble to limit damage
Dry soil of the partially dried-up river bed of the Rhine is pictured in Duesseldorf, western Germany, as Europe experiences a heatwave. (AFP photo)
Exceptionally low river levels in a Europe hit hard by drought and record heat have plunged transporters into turmoil this summer, driving up costs that everyday consumers could end up bearing.
Major rivers on the planet's fastest-warming continent, including the Rhine and Danube, have sustained water shortages that scientists directly link to climate change.
The situation is especially critical in Germany on the Rhine, the core of the European inland waterway transport network.
