Pinglu Canal becomes operational
Source：CCCCTime：2026-09-18
The Pinglu Canal, a project involving CCCC, officially opened on Sept. 16, with the opening ceremony held at the Madao hub in Qinzhou, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The canal provides the shortest, most economical and most convenient route to the sea for southwest China.
The Pinglu Canal, a project involving CCCC, officially opened on Sept. 16, with the opening ceremony held at the Madao hub in Qinzhou, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The canal provides the shortest, most economical and most convenient route to the sea for southwest China, shortening inland waterway travel by more than 560 kilometers compared with routes via Guangzhou Port and cutting overall logistics costs by 18 percent to 30 percent.
Photo shows the Madao hub of the Pinglu Canal.
As a key project of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, the Pinglu Canal stretches 134.2 kilometers from the mouth of the Pingtang River in the Xijin Reservoir of Hengzhou southward along the Qinjiang River to the Beibu Gulf. It can accommodate vessels of up to 5,000 tonnes.
Construction of the project began on Aug. 28, 2022. CCCC has been deeply involved throughout the project, from preliminary planning to construction, undertaking the Madao, Qishi and Qingnian hubs, as well as several key waterways and anchorages. Leveraging digital and smart technologies, the project has created China's first digital-twin canal covering its entire life cycle, enabling precise project management and intelligent scheduling. The project team also developed a digital-twin intelligent temperature-control system for mass concrete, addressing the industry challenge of cracking in mass concrete.
Photo shows the command and dispatch center of the Pinglu Canal project.
The three hubs overcome a total natural water level drop of 65 meters along the canal. Using a giant "water elevator" system, they ensure the smooth passage of large vessels. The hubs pioneered a three-tier, overlapping water-saving basin system, saving more than 60 percent of water and over 1 billion cubic meters of water annually. The giant working valves of the ship locks can open in one minute and close in 30 seconds, raising navigation efficiency by two to four times compared with conventional ship locks and setting a world record for ship-lock valve opening and closing speed.
Photo shows the Qishi hub of the Pinglu Canal.
Photo shows the Qingnian hub of the Pinglu Canal.
Read more:
Pinglu Canal project passes completion acceptance
Pinglu Canal achieves full water connectivity
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