Exceptionally low water levels on the Danube are threatening to disrupt river navigation in Serbia and have slowed imports of petroleum products, officials said on July 22, adding pressure to fuel supplies amid high demand and elevated global oil prices.

Milan Nikolic, head of Serbia’s Directorate for Inland Waterways, said critically low levels could lead to a suspension of navigation in some areas.

The drought-hit Danube has forced barges to reduce cargo loads, with vessels carrying only 30-40% of their usual capacity, Energy Minister Dubravka Đedović Handanović said. As a result, only about 25% of planned petroleum product imports for July have been delivered so far, Beta reported.

Alternative transport by trucks and rail has been used, but officials said it cannot fully replace river shipments and has increased costs.

Đedović Handanović said Serbia’s Pančevo oil refinery, owned by the Oil Industry of Serbia (NIS), was crucial for maintaining market stability. NIS is under US sanctions due to its majority Russian ownership, and the minister said an extension of its operating licence beyond July 31 would allow the refinery to maximise production and help offset reduced imports.

Without the licence extension, Serbia would have to rely more heavily on state reserves, she said, adding that diesel reserves currently stand at 269,000 tonnes.

The low water levels are linked to prolonged drought and high temperatures across Europe. Officials said a slight rise in the Danube was expected in the coming days as higher water moves downstream from Hungary, but the longer-term decline is likely to continue.

The falling river levels have already affected shipping, irrigation and the Danube ecosystem. In neighbouring Croatia, the river recently reached a record low near Batina, according to state water management authorities.