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Near-record low water levels on the Danube River have left several cruises ships stranded north of Budapest and forced the suspension of sightseeing trips this week.
The crisis deals a big blow to Hungary’s economically important river cruise sector.
Data from Hungary's Water Authority showed that the Danube's water level in Budapest plummeted on Thursday morning to within eight centimetres of the record low established eight years ago.
However, there is an expectation that levels will begin to rise again next week.
Hungarian sightseeing operator MAHART-PassNave said that this decline is part of a broader, long-term trend.
Despite ongoing efforts by shipping companies and ports to adapt, water levels are increasingly falling below critical operational limits.
Laszlo Somodi, Chief Executive of MAHART-PassNave, said late on Wednesday: “River cruise vessels are currently still able to enter Hungary, but several ships are stranded or waiting in ports because of the low water levels.”
Mr Somodi said that international river cruises have become the most economically important segment of Hungary's shipping industry as tourism has expanded.
The cruises carry about 600,000 passengers every year and generate substantial wider economic benefits, he said.
While the northern ports of Gonyu and Komarom are managing the highest traffic volumes, several cruise liners remain idle in Budapest and the southern town of Mohacs, unable to continue their journeys due to the exceptionally low water levels, he said.
MAHART-PassNave has already experienced an 18 per cent drop in bookings so far in July due to cancellations, with sightseeing tours to cities north of Budapest suspended throughout this week.
Services could potentially resume next week if the anticipated rise in water levels materialises.
Meanwhile, river cruise operator Avalon Waterways said earlier this week that it had been forced to cancel what it described as a small number of upcoming departures, citing low water levels on both the Danube and Rhine rivers.
Europe has been sizzling in record-breaking heat this summer, with roads melting, power grids struggling, and railways facing unprecedented challenges.
At Oslo airport in Norway, where temperatures were forecast to hit 30 degrees Celsius this week – a full 10C above the seasonal average – workers were seen dousing the tarmac with thousands of litres of water.
Meanwhile, European railways are exploring more stable sleeper designers and technologies like AI and drones to speed up inspections of the tracks, to try to prevent delays and cancellations.
