Vessels blocked in Bulgarian Danube due to low water

10:34 07.09.2012

Over 40 river vessels have been blocked in the Bulgarian Danube port of Svishtov due to excessively low water levels in the end of summer.

Bulgaria's agency for maintenance of the river has warned that in the future weeks, ship traffic might have to be completely suspended.

There are 29 shallows in the Bulgarian stretch of the Danube river, with some of them becoming dangerous following dropped river levels due to little summer rain.

Many vessels have been also halted at the port of Ruse further downstream.

For 2011, losses from 4 summer months of low waters on the Danube are estimated to reach above BGN 3 M.

Adapted from Novinite