Once-in-a-generation project: Pinglu Canal to feature world's largest inland water-saving ship lock

Located in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the Pinglu Canal, whose construction is in full swing, is the country's first major canal to link inland waterways with the sea, and a flagship project of China's New Western Land-Sea Corridor.

Stretching 134.2 kilometers, the canal begins at the Xijin Reservoir in Hengzhou, runs through Qinzhou, and eventually flows into the Beibu Gulf. The canal is being built according to Class I inland waterway standards and will accommodate 5,000-tonne vessels.

While primarily designed to support navigation and shipping, the project also integrates functions such as water supply, irrigation, flood control, and ecological improvement. Key components include the construction of the main waterway, navigation hubs, upgrades to water conservancy infrastructure, river-crossing structures along the route, and supporting facilities. With a total investment of around 72.7 billion yuan, the canal is scheduled for completion in 2026.

A centerpiece of the project is the Madao Junction, the first of three tiered navigation hubs. To overcome the 65-meter elevation difference between inland and sea level, the Madao Junction will feature the world's largest inland water-saving ship lock. The double-lane lock measures 300 meters long, 34 meters wide, and 8 meters deep, with a maximum operating head of 29.6 meters. Its three-level water-saving chambers allow 60 percent of water to be saved for lifting ships instead of being discharged downstream.

Once operational, the Pinglu Canal will shorten shipping routes to the sea by over 560 kilometers for cargo ships from southwest China, creating the most direct inland access to ASEAN markets. It is expected to serve as a key logistics artery for regional integration and global trade.

The project will also accelerate the transformation of resource advantages along the corridor into new driven force of growth. Supporting Guangxi's "one zone, two hubs, one base, and one corridor" initiative, it will further facilitate the region as a strategic gateway boosting domestic and international economic flows, and contribute to the high-quality development of western China.

(Cai Yilin, Chu Lingyu, Gao Miao, Lv Jiaqi, Wang Xinyang and Zou Mi from the Communication University of China contribute to the article.)