Pinglu Canal, key project of western land-sea corridor, to open Sept. 16

(ECNS) -- The Pinglu Canal, a key project of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor in western China, will officially open to navigation on Sept. 16, authorities in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region announced at a press conference in Nanning, the regional capital, on Monday.

The canal's main structure has passed inspection, and all operational procedures have been completed. It is the first river-to-sea canal project planned and built at the national level since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949.

Construction began on Aug. 28, 2022, with a total investment of approximately 72.7 billion yuan (about $10.4 billion). The 134.2-kilometer canal connects the Pingtang River estuary near Nanning, the capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, to the Beibu Gulf via Qinzhou, a port city in Guangxi.

Once operational, the canal will shorten the inland waterway route for goods from southwest China to the sea by more than 560 kilometers compared with traditional routes. Voyage times to major ASEAN ports will also be significantly reduced, while overall logistics costs are expected to fall by 18% to 30%, saving more than 5 billion yuan (about $714 million) annually in transportation costs.

The canal is built to meet China's highest inland waterway standard (Class I) and can accommodate vessels of up to 5,000 metric tons. Inland vessels, seagoing ships and internationally flagged vessels that meet safety requirements will be able to sail directly from the Beibu Gulf into the canal. Internationally flagged vessels will be subject to compulsory pilotage and strict safety checks.

(By Tang Yuxian)