BASF builds ship for low-flow Rhine River

BASF has commissioned Stolt Tankers to build a ship for navigating the Rhine River when water levels are low. BASF had to cut chemical production in Ludwigshafen, Germany, in 2018 because low water levels in the Rhine caused by drought prevented it from bringing in necessary raw materials. The new ship will be much wider and longer than standard inland vessels, with a draft of just 1.6 m when carrying a cargo of 650 metric tons (t). When the Rhine is flowing normally, the ship will be able to use its full capacity of 2,500 t, twice that of standard inland vessels.