BASF SE has reduced production at its headquarters operations in Ludwigshafen, Germany, due to low water conditions in the Rhine River.
The company announced Aug. 6 that the reduced production, for unspecified materials, will mean it will have to reduce some deliveries. BASF said it has legal restrictions on how much water it can take from the Rhine for cooling its plants, which means that not all of its plants can operating at full levels.
"In individual cases, delivery bottlenecks may occur if the current weather situation persists," the company said in a statement on its website. "BASF is in close contact with its customers in this respect."
A hot summer in Europe, combined with low rain levels, has reduced the level of the Rhine
BASF explained that there are legal restrictions on how much water it can take from the Rhine for cooling its plants, with the result that not all of its plants can be sufficiently cooled for them to operate at full output.
In addition, if the water level continues to fall, goods can only be transported over the Rhine to a limited extent, BASF said.
"At present, despite the low water level in the Rhine, inland waterway transport can still be maintained through the use of a larger number of vessels," the company said. "In view of the weather and water level forecasts, BASF is preparing to shift to alternative modes of transport in consultation with its customers."
BASF is not alone in making adjustments to production due to water levels. Some electricity power generating stations which depend on rivers for cooling water are also facing difficulties. In France for example, some nuclear power stations have had to restrict operation.
