Due to the low water level in the Rhine, fewer tankers are transporting petrol southward from the North Sea, causing shortages in some places, like Germany. Will Switzerland be affected as well?
During the persistent drought which affected much of Europe during the summer, the water in the Rhine had dropped to historically low levels and has not yet fully recovered.
This situation has disrupted the fuel supply, as tankers and barges are forced to sail with smaller loads to be able to navigate shallow sections of the river.
Consequently, a number of German petrol stations report fuel shortages, with some even having to temporarily close the pumps.
What is the situation downstream, in Switzerland?
As vessels can only carry limited loads, transporting cargo – including fuel – down the Rhine to Basel costs about ten times more than usual.
This has an impact on fuel prices at the pumps (see below).
In terms of supply, however. Switzerland doesn’t face the same problems as its neighbour.
The reason, according to the Federal Office for National Economic Supply (FONES), is that some of the fuel is being delivered on land.
“The industry has imported additional goods by rail,” said FONES’ spokesperson Tess Sapin.
Additionally, the Rhine is not the only delivery route to Switzerland.
Other ones run from the Mediterranean near Marseille to the refinery in Cressier (Neuchâtel), as well as to Vernier (Geneva) – neither of which is affected by the Rhine’s shipping restrictions.
And on the subject of prices…
As The Local reported, it costs motorists more than before to fill up their cars at the pump
Diesel has been most impacted, its price having hit, in mid-September, a record high of 2.41 francs per litre. It rose even further, to 2.46 francs/litre, on October 5th.
Unleaded 95 – the most commonly used in Switzerland – has also become more expensive, having reached 2.10 francs per litre
READ MORE: Diesel prices in Switzerland hit record high
