The Pinglu Canal (), is a 134.2-kilometer inland river I-class waterway under construction between Xijin reservoir on the
Yu river in
Hengzhou and the lower part of the Qin River, allowing access to the
Beibu Gulf
The Gulf of Tonkin is a gulf at the northwestern portion of the South China Sea, located off the coasts of Tonkin (northern Vietnam) and South China. It has a total surface area of . It is defined in the west and northwest by the northern coas ...
. The canal will shorten the route between inland Guangxi and the sea by up to .
Construction
Serious planning began in 2019 with full speed construction commencing from June 2023. Operational completion is aimed for 2026. Three locks will be built, including what will be the world's largest water-conserving ship lock. This canal is the largest Chinese canal construction activity since consolidation of the
Grand Canal during the
Ming dynasty
The Ming dynasty, officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming was the last imperial dynasty of ...
.
[
]
During construction a total of 339 million m³ of stone and dirt is expected to be removed, which will be used for land reclamation and elevating existing land, so that 835.7 ha of new land can be created.
Construction is planned to be completed in 2026 at a total cost of RMB 72.719 billion.
Specification
When not restricted by drought, the canal is designed for 5,000-ton ships of 90 meters length, 15.8 meters width and 5.0 meters
draft
Draft, the draft, or draught may refer to:
Watercraft dimensions
* Draft (hull), the distance from waterline to keel of a vessel
* Draft (sail), degree of curvature in a sail
* Air draft, distance from waterline to the highest point on a v ...
. By comparison,
Panamax
Panamax and New Panamax (or Neopanamax) are terms for the size limits for ships traveling through the Panama Canal. The limits and requirements are published by the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) in a publication titled "Vessel Requirements". ...
ships are 65,000–80,000 tonnes when unrestricted, suggesting a transshipment role rather than direct international ocean connection.
The three lock complexes that are planned at Madao, Qishi and Qingnian.
The elevation difference between the Qin river mouth at sea level and the Xijin reservoir is 65 meters, of this, the Madao locks will overcome a 30 meters of elevation difference. To conserve water, the locks discharge in a local reservoir, saving 63% water over a conventional lock design.
References
External references
*
*
*
*
{{coord, 22.4511879, 108.9394997, type:, format=dms, display=title
Canals in China
Transport in Guangxi