{"id":18630,"date":"2026-06-13T13:50:09","date_gmt":"2026-06-13T08:05:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eng.dragonmedia.com.np\/?p=18630"},"modified":"2026-06-13T13:50:09","modified_gmt":"2026-06-13T08:05:09","slug":"china-launches-77-billion-yuan-yangtze-waterway-expansion-project","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eng.dragonmedia.com.np\/?p=18630","title":{"rendered":"China Launches 77-Billion-Yuan Yangtze Waterway Expansion Project<\/strong>"},"content":{"rendered":"

China has launched a massive waterway project to expand shipping capacity along the Yangtze River, aiming to make the country\u2019s longest river a smoother and more efficient \u201cgolden waterway\u201d for domestic freight transport and regional connectivity.<\/p>\n

The project, with a total investment of 77.2 billion yuan, or about 11.3 billion U.S. dollars, broke ground on Monday. It is designed to ease long-standing navigation pressure around the Three Gorges Dam and meet growing freight demand in the decades ahead.<\/p>\n

The Yangtze River stretches more than 6,300 kilometers from China\u2019s inland west to the eastern coast. It serves as a vital transport artery linking inland and coastal regions. The river also anchors the Yangtze River Economic Belt, which covers 11 provincial-level regions and accounts for nearly half of China\u2019s gross domestic product.<\/p>\n

For years, the navigation facilities at the Three Gorges Dam have faced rising pressure from growing cargo volumes. The existing ship lock exceeded its original annual design capacity of 100 million tonnes in 2011, 19 years earlier than expected.<\/p>\n

According to officials from China\u2019s Ministry of Transport, freight traffic on the Yangtze is expected to continue increasing as the Yangtze River Economic Belt develops further. This has made additional navigation capacity increasingly necessary.<\/p>\n

Under the new project, a five-tier, dual-track ship lock will be built north of the existing lock at the Three Gorges Dam. Navigation facilities at the downstream Gezhouba Dam will also be upgraded.<\/p>\n

Once completed, the annual cargo throughput capacity at the Three Gorges Dam is expected to nearly double to 336 million tonnes, while the total capacity at the Gezhouba Dam will reach 360 million tonnes.<\/p>\n

Gao Peng, deputy chief engineer of the China Three Gorges Corporation, said the new system will support mutual backup, coordinated operations and classified vessel passage. It is expected to significantly improve shipping efficiency and service quality along the Yangtze River, particularly in its middle and upper reaches.<\/p>\n

Experts say the project will also help reduce logistics costs and support China\u2019s green transformation. According to Niu Xinqiang, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, carbon emissions per tonne-kilometer from water transport are about half those of rail transport and around one-fifth those of road transport.<\/p>\n

The project is considered highly complex from an engineering perspective. Officials said construction and upgrading work must be carried out within the existing Three Gorges and Gezhouba complexes, where space is limited and technical demands are high.<\/p>\n

The new locks will have to manage a water-level difference comparable to the height of a 37-story building, while construction teams will also deal with rock slopes of around 200 meters. Engineers have spent more than a decade developing new technologies and solutions in cooperation with domestic research institutes.<\/p>\n

Among the innovations are a high-pressure water-control system for safe lock operations and a 1,440-tonne \u201csuper gate.\u201d The project will also involve the excavation of about 160 million cubic meters of rock and earth. Advanced blasting techniques will be used to reduce the impact on nearby residents, the environment and aquatic ecosystems.<\/p>\n

Once operational, the waterway will use an intelligent navigation system built around smart scheduling, smart channels and smart locks. Big data, high-precision maps, real-time monitoring and digital sensors will help guide vessels, optimize routes and detect equipment problems in advance.<\/p>\n

The new Three Gorges ship lock and its approach channels are scheduled to be completed in 112 months, while the Gezhouba upgrade is planned to take 95 months. Both schedules include a 12-month preparation period.<\/p>\n

Officials and experts say the project will generate demand for bulk materials, heavy equipment and related industries, creating jobs and stimulating activity across the supply chain.<\/p>\n

The expanded waterway is also expected to strengthen inland ports as cargo consolidation hubs and improve the region\u2019s access to international trade. Goods arriving in Chongqing from Europe and Central Asia via China-Europe freight trains could be transferred more smoothly to Yangtze River shipping routes. At the same time, cargo from Southeast Asia and China\u2019s coastal regions could move deeper into western China through river-sea intermodal transport.<\/p>\n

Through the project, China aims to turn the Yangtze River into not only a major domestic shipping route, but also a key platform for east-west connectivity, green transport, industrial coordination and broader access to global markets.<\/p>\n

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