China has launched the construction of one of the world’s largest navigation locks on the Yangtze River to increase the capacity of inland waterway transport.
According to sea-news.az the groundbreaking ceremony was held in Yichang City, Hubei Province, and was attended by Ding Xuexiang, Vice Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China.
The project, valued at 77.2 billion yuan (approximately US$11.3 billion), involves the construction of a new five-stage, twin-lane navigation lock north of the existing lock at the Three Gorges Dam. The project also includes the modernization of shipping infrastructure at a smaller dam located downstream.
The new lock is being built in response to growing demand for cargo transportation along the Yangtze River. Upon completion, the annual cargo-handling capacity of the Three Gorges Dam shipping system is expected to nearly double, reaching approximately 336 million tons.
The Yangtze River is the third-longest river in the world and the longest in China, playing a strategic role in the country’s inland water transport network.
