00:02Snaking through Germany and five other countries, the Rhine River is Europe's most important
00:08inland trade passage.
00:10But the river is dangerously dry.
00:13Trade and livelihoods are under threat.
00:18Ships on this river move everything from motor parts to pharmaceuticals.
00:23Captain Torsten Stontz transports crushed gravel used for concrete across Europe.
00:30I see that the problems are definitely coming in the long term.
00:34Last month, during Europe's record-breaking heat waves and drought, parts of the Rhine
00:39shut as water levels plunged.
00:42Captain Torsten couldn't move freight and couldn't make money.
00:46I wouldn't rule out the possibility more captains end up in trouble.
00:50This is a terrifying sight for people here in Germany.
00:53We've been travelling along the Rhine for several hours now and we're seeing a lot
00:57of this riverbed that was once covered with metres of water, now just vast empty space.
01:04When water levels aren't affected, about 285 million tonnes of freight move on the Rhine
01:11every year, making up about 30% of the cargo at the largest trade hub in Europe, Rotterdam
01:17Port.
01:17Referring to very voluminous or heavy goods, the Rhine is needed.
01:23The river is now open again, but it's not deep enough for heavy ships.
01:28Tons of freight is being forced onto congested roads and busy rail, which can have a knock-on
01:34effect around the world, including in Australia.
01:37We imposed around 23 billion dollars of value, you know, from Germany.
01:43If we cannot use, you know, inland waterway transport because of the low water of the Rhine, the
01:48time will be longer and the cost will be higher.
01:50An ancient bedrock of European trade, now at the mercy of a changing climate.
01:56An ancient bedrock of European trade where the birds have been
01:58designed for the
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