The low waters in the Bulgarian section of international river Danube cause losses of thousands of euros for Bulgarian ship owners. River hauliers brace for even worse times as forecasts warn the critical situation will continue for at least a month.

Bulgarian hauliers find more paying to stop the haulage trips rather than continue them with less cargo, local Dnevnik daily reported. One of the disadvantages of the half-stowed ships is the situation in which more ships should sail the currently low and narrow river. This makes the traffic busier and the vessels are often stuck for hours.

The ports also suffer losses over the smaller cargos being processed. The ferry line between Bulgaria's Vidin and Kalafat on the Romanian bank has been disturbed as well.

However, some people in the business hope the situation will change for good after September 10. In Central Europe, there are expectations that the losses can be offset by the increased grain imports to the European Union since the swelter destroyed much of the crops in France, Germany, Austria, and Portugal.