Cargo transported on Dutch inland waterways fell by nearly 19% in August compared to a year earlier, reaching 21.8 million tonnes — the lowest figure for that month in fifteen years, according to Statistics Netherlands (CBS, the Dutch national statistics agency). Persistent drought reduced navigable water depths, forcing vessels to carry lighter loads, with the average cargo per ship dropping from roughly 1,500 tonnes to around 1,299 tonnes. The sharpest declines were in trade between the Netherlands and Germany, where volumes fell by around 40–50%, largely due to record-low water levels on the Rhine (the major river artery linking the two countries); similar drought-driven disruptions occurred in 2018 and 2022.