The Rhine runs more than 760 miles from the Alps to the North Sea, winding through Germany but also parts of Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, France, and the Netherlands.

Reuters. FILE PHOTO: A general view shows the river Rhine with the Rheinkniebruecke in the background in Duesseldorf, Germany, May 13, 2024. Picture taken with long exposure.

The Rhine is western Europe's most important river for the transport of fuel and other industrial goods. Many barges find it uneconomical to transit past Kaub when the water level there is at 40cm ...