As of March 28, 2025, the cargo throughput via the five-tier ship locks at the Three Gorges Dam has exceeded 2.2 million tons since the locks opened to commercial traffic on June 18, 2003, according to the China Three Gorges Corporation.
Over the past two decades, the ship locks have been operated over 212,000 times, enabling the passage of 1.065 million vessels and 12.28 million passengers.
Known as China’s most technically complex inland lock system, the Three Gorges Dam ship locks feature dual five-tier lock lines on both sides of the dam.
Dual five-tier ship locks at the Three Gorges Dam [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
Since the completion of the Three Gorges project, navigation conditions along the upper and middle reaches of the Yangtze River have been fundamentally transformed, enabling year-round navigation. With robust growth in economic activity along the river and rising demand for bulk cargo transport, such as energy, construction materials and minerals, throughput at the locks has steadily increased. This has helped the Yangtze River maintain its position as the world’s busiest inland waterway for 20 consecutive years.
In recent years, the Three Gorges Cascade Dispatch and Communication Center has focused on high-quality operation and maintenance. Through the adoption of lean management and digital technologies, the facility has completed eight planned overhauls and enhanced the lifecycle management of key equipment. A smart monitoring system is now being built to collect full-spectrum data on structural and mechanical components, further improving the efficiency and safety of lock operations.
From its inaugural passage in 2003 to this latest milestone, the Three Gorges Dam ship locks have not only witnessed the rapid development of inland shipping in China but also emerged as a vital artery for the high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt.
(Executive editor: Wang Ruoting)
