New Era China Research Tour - Yangtze River Chapter | The Yangtze River Main Line Has Basically Formed into a Modern "Golden Waterway" Economic Belt | Main Line | The Yangtze River
In recent years, the development of Yangtze River shipping has entered a fast lane, with a throughput of 3.59 billion tons, 15 large ports with a capacity of billions of tons, and navigation and trade with more than 100 countries or regions. The Yangtze River trunk line has basically formed a "golden waterway", continuously promoting the high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt.
In the past, there were problems with the indiscriminate occupation, misuse, overuse, and extensive utilization of the Yangtze River coastline and ports, and the advantages of Yangtze River water transportation were not fully utilized. To address this issue, in recent years, provinces and cities along the Yangtze River, as well as relevant institutions in the Yangtze River Basin, have adhered to a problem oriented approach, implemented systematic policies, and addressed both symptoms and root causes. The comprehensive improvement of the Yangtze River shoreline has been carried out, with 1361 illegal docks thoroughly rectified, illegal sand mining basically eliminated, illegal shipping rectified, shorelines reshaped, and green ecological corridors on both sides gradually formed.
Li Jiang, Deputy Director of the Yangtze River Navigation Administration of the Ministry of Transport, introduced that the navigation capacity of the Yangtze River has significantly improved, and the main trunk line has basically formed a modern "golden waterway". The high-grade waterway mileage of the Yangtze River trunk and branch lines has reached tens of thousands of kilometers, achieving direct access from 50000 ton sea vessels to Nanjing, direct access from 10000 ton vessels to Wuhan, direct access from 3000 ton vessels to Chongqing, and direct access from 2000 ton vessels to Yibin, forming a water expressway that connects Sichuan, Chongqing, Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Anhui, and Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai. At present, there are 15 billion ton ports on the Yangtze River trunk line.
On June 6, 2023, the ship was sailing in the waters of Yangluo Port in Wuhan, Hubei Province. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Wu Zhizun
On June 30th, at Yangluo Port in Wuhan, containers piled up like mountains, and gantry cranes and bridge cranes kept up and down. A liner loaded with car parts and other goods was preparing to set sail for Busan, South Korea. The China Europe freight train, filled with electronic products, set off for Europe at the nearby iron water intermodal transportation station. Now, Yangluo Port has achieved "shipping to the east into the sea and trains to the west into Europe", with a container throughput exceeding 2 million TEUs in 2022.
Smooth the "arteries" and unblock the "capillaries" simultaneously, organically connecting large, medium, and small ports, and expanding the "width" of the Yangtze River. According to statistics, the navigable mileage of the Yangtze River system is about 70000 kilometers, accounting for 70% of the total navigable mileage of inland rivers in China.
Huangshi City, located in Hubei Province, is integrating and establishing Huangshi New Port to bring "golden benefits" to the "golden coastline". It breaks away from the single port model and actively builds a comprehensive transportation hub by integrating regional advantages in highways, railways, waterways, and aviation. In 2022, the throughput reached a historic high of 29.3 million tons. Huangshi New Port is constructing eight 20000 ton berths and will become the largest single port in the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River after being put into operation.
Like Huangshi New Port, more and more railways, highways, and ports are holding hands. According to statistics, 15 major ports along the Yangtze River have achieved railway entry. Multimodal transportation such as river sea intermodal transportation and rail water intermodal transportation have established the three-dimensional comprehensive transportation corridor of the Yangtze River.
On June 18, 2023, ships passed through the Three Gorges Lock and ship lift in an orderly manner.
The navigation capacity of the Three Gorges Shiplock has been further tapped and improved. Since its opening in 2003, it has transported over 990000 ships, 1.91 billion tons of cargo, and more than 12 million passengers over the past 20 years. Fill a 40 foot container with 1.91 billion tons of cargo, connected head to tail, and able to circle the Earth's equator 22.4 times.
Along with the increase in freight volume, green shipping is also steadily advancing, including shore power coverage, garbage discharge, dock renovation, and ecological waterways. At the Maoping Cruise Terminal of Zigui Port upstream of the Three Gorges Dam, although there is no pungent smell of diesel or the roar of engines, tourist ships docked here are illuminated by shore power lights. With a gentle tap on the phone, a ship will soon come to collect garbage and wastewater, which will then be seamlessly docked and transported ashore, ultimately achieving zero entry of ship pollutants into the river.
Water transportation facilitates industrial development. According to the statistics of the Yangtze River Navigation Administration, in 2022, the throughput of the Yangtze River trunk line reached 3.59 billion tons, and the total economic output of provinces and cities along the Yangtze River Economic Belt accounted for 46.5% of the national total, an increase of 1.4 percentage points from 2015, forming five world-class industrial clusters: electronic information, high-end equipment, automobiles, home appliances, and textile and clothing.
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