Shallow water after dry weather in past weeks continues to prevent cargo vessels from sailing fully loaded on the Rhine and Danube rivers in Germany, traders said on Friday. All of the Rhine and Danube in Germany is too shallow for normal sailings with some barges in central Germany only able to sail 30 percent full, they said.

Loads are having to be divided among several vessels instead of being carried by a single craft, increasing transport costs.

Mostly dry weather is again forecast in river catchment areas in Germany and Switzerland over the weekend and no immediate improvement is in sight.

The Rhine is an important shipping route for commodities such as grains, minerals, coal and oil products including heating oil. The Danube is a major route for east European grain exports, especially maize, to west Europe.

Copyright Reuters, 2017