HAMBURG (Reuters) - Water levels on the Rhine and Danube in Germany remain low and cargo vessels cannot sail fully loaded, traders said on Monday.
The rivers had fallen below normal levels in late June following dry weather in south Germany and Switzerland.
The Rhine is still too shallow for normal sailings in Duisburg and Cologne to an area near Mainz, traders said. All of the Danube in Germany is too shallow for normal loading.
Shallow water means vessel operators impose surcharges on freight rates, increasing costs for cargo owners.
The Rhine is an important shipping route for commodities including grains, minerals, coal and oil products such as heating oil.
The Danube is a major route for east European grain exports to west Europe.
(Reporting by Michael Hogan. Editing by Jane Merriman)
