Highlights Levels at Kaub chokepoint fall to critical point of 30 cm Barge rates surge on low water levels Switzerland draws from stocks to cope with demand Disruptions to supplies of oil products and petrochemical feedstocks through the Rhine river are expected to worsen as water levels have fallen to extreme lows, traders told S&P Global Commodity Insights Aug. 15. Not registered? Receive daily email alerts, subscriber notes & personalize your experience. Register Now Water levels at Kaub, a key chokepoint located between the Lower and Upper Rhine, fell to 30 cm on Aug. 15, the lowest in years, according to data from Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration (WSV). It is very difficult for oil barges to travel beyond Kaub when water levels are below 40 cm, according to trade sources. “There’s barely anything going past Kaub now, and even [just going as far as Kaub] barges can only […]