Shipping operations on the Rhine River remain suspended around Maxau and Mainz in southern Germany due to increased water levels following heavy rainfall, navigation authorities reported on Wednesday. The German inland waterways navigation agency halted freight shipping over the weekend as extensive flooding caused by the rain affected the region.

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The high water warning center in Baden-Wuerttemberg indicated that water levels are expected to drop with the onset of drier weather. The section around Maxau is anticipated to reopen for shipping early on Friday.

Meanwhile, shipping activities on the northern sections of the Rhine, including key areas like Duisburg, Cologne, and Duesseldorf, continue to operate normally. The high water levels in the south have rendered vessels unable to pass under bridges, disrupting shipments to Switzerland.

The Rhine River is a critical route for transporting commodities such as minerals, coal, heating oil, grains, and animal feed. In recent years, the river has faced repeated challenges from low water levels due to unusually dry summers, but the current situation contrasts sharply with those conditions.