China has opened the 134.2-kilometer Pinglu Canal, creating a new route from the southwest of the country to Beibu Gulf. This canal, built at a cost of 72.7 billion yuan (10.2 billion dollars), starts from Pintangjiangkou near Nanning and connects southward through Qinzhou to Beibu Gulf. This project could shift domestic shipping flows towards Southeast Asia.
Reducing Logistics Costs and Travel Time
Before the opening of the Pinglu Canal, a significant portion of freight traffic had to move eastward via the Xijiang River to Guangzhou. With the launch of this canal, over 560 kilometers of this domestic journey will be reduced, and it is expected to lower logistics costs by 18 to 30 percent. This canal allows goods from Guangxi and the wider southwestern regions of China to have shorter access to maritime trade.
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New Steps in International Trade
The Pinglu Canal provides China with another direct gateway to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) via Beibu Gulf, without the need to transfer cargo eastward to the Pearl River Delta ports. On the first day of its opening, thirty cargo ships utilized this canal, including containers and major goods such as steel, minerals, coal, fertilizers, and construction materials. New services have also started between Nanning and Can Tho in Vietnam, as well as between Nanning and Yangpu in Hainan.
The Pinglu Canal can accommodate vessels weighing up to 5,000 tons. Three lock sets at Madao, Qishi, and Kinyan compensate for a total height difference of about 65 meters. The Madao lock is recognized as the main attraction, as it compensates for a maximum height of 29.6 meters, which is close to the height of a ten-story building, making it the tallest ship lock in the world’s inland waters. Additionally, the recycled water sections reduce water consumption by about 60 percent.
The construction of this canal required the excavation of over 300,000 cubic meters of soil and rock, nearly three times the excavation volume of the Three Gorges Project. This project will not only improve China’s internal transportation system but will also strengthen trade relations with neighboring countries.
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