Maersk has revised its Rhine low water surcharges, with the steepest tier now reaching €1,535 for a 20-foot container at Kaub — and the carrier warns it can no longer guarantee loading once the gauge at that chokepoint drops below 81 cm.

The revised charges apply to laden containers moving by barge across Germany and the Benelux region. They scale according to water levels recorded at three reference points: Duisburg-Ruhrort, Kaub and Cologne. Maersk says the surcharges remain valid until further notice.

What triggers the surcharge?

At Kaub, low water conditions formally begin when the gauge reads 1.50 metres or below. At that point, draft restrictions start to affect passing barge services and can also disrupt cargo movements at other locations along the river.

Maersk cannot guarantee cargo loading when water levels fall below:

• 81 cm at Kaub
• 181 cm (1.81 m) at Duisburg-Ruhrort
• 1.06 metres at Cologne

Duisburg-Ruhrort: surcharges up to €1,560 per 40-footer

The Duisburg-Ruhrort table shows a steep escalation as the gauge falls. Surcharges start at €20/€30/€45 for 20/40/45-foot boxes below 3.00 metres and climb through eleven tiers:

• Below 2.01 m: €125 / €155 / €205
• Below 1.81 m: €250 / €300 / €400 — the loading guarantee threshold
• Below 1.51 m: €530 / €640 / €850
• Below 1.41 m: €1,250 / €1,490 / €1,570
• Below 1.31 m: €1,335 / €1,560 / €1,670 — the top tier

Kaub: the critical gauge

At Kaub, the surcharge ladder runs from €50/€60/€85 below 1.51 metres to €1,535/€1,535/€2,045 below 0.21 metres. Intermediate steps include:

• Below 0.81 m: €345 / €435 / €575
• Below 0.61 m: €625 / €735 / €975
• Below 0.41 m: €1,250 / €1,490 / €1,570

Maersk said transportation cannot be guaranteed when the Kaub water level falls below 41 cm.

Cologne: loading guarantees end at 1.06 metres

The Cologne scale starts at €50/€65/€100 below 1.95 metres. The mid-range tier of 1.26–1.06 metres carries a €130/€150/€225 charge, before the table jumps:

• Below 1.06 m: €310 / €310 / €410 — guarantee threshold
• Below 0.71 m: €800 / €800 / €1,060
• Below 0.51 m: €1,365 / €1,365 / €1,815

How Maersk applies the charge

For exports, Maersk will determine the applicable surcharge using the barge departure date from the inland terminal. For imports, it will use the barge departure date from the deep-sea terminal.

Maersk said barge operators charge these additional costs directly to the carrier, which will then pass them on to customers. That cost flow matters for shippers and forwarders booking inland legs through Rhine gateways such as Duisburg: the surcharge attaches to the container regardless of contract terms elsewhere in the chain, and it moves with the gauge, not the tariff.

For cargo owners routing boxes through Rhine inland terminals, the practical consequence is a widening cost band on the inland leg — anywhere from €20 to more than €1,500 per box depending on the day's gauge reading. With the surcharges valid until further notice, planning should assume they stay in force as long as low water persists across the Rhine basin.