Extreme weather disrupts European riverine transport
TT Club has highlighted growing risks to inland waterway operations due to climate change, as evidenced by extreme weather events that severely disrupted European waterways in 2024.
The Rhine suffered from flooding in Germany, interrupting cargo transport to Switzerland, while droughts led to record low water levels, forcing vessels to operate below capacity or shift cargo to rail.
These challenges underline the vulnerability of inland waterway transport systems and the need for infrastructure upgrades, risk mitigation planning and workforce training. TT Club’s data shows rising weather-related claims over the last decade, encompassing damage to infrastructure, equipment, and operations, with uninsured losses and reputational harm compounding the issue.
The insurer advocates robust resilience measures and offers support to inland operators in devising strategies to minimise future weather-related disruptions and costs. (pb)