China’s First Smart Ship for Pinglu Canal Completes Trial
China has successfully completed the trial voyage of its first smart demonstration ship for the Pinglu Canal, marking a major milestone as the country’s inland shipping operations transition into the era of intelligent navigation. The 5,000-tonne vessel, named “Beigang Canal 002” (北港运河002), underwent a six-hour trial on the Yujiang River in the Guigang section of Guangxi on June 17, 2026, with all test parameters meeting design requirements.
Built by Guangxi Xijiang Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. in Guigang, the ship is a dual-purpose container and bulk cargo river vessel measuring 89.92 meters in length, 15.75 meters in width, and 6.05 meters in depth. It was specifically designed to maximize single-lock transit efficiency for the Pinglu Canal, whose locks measure 300 meters long, 34 meters wide, and 8 meters deep — capable of accommodating six such vessels simultaneously.
A Leap in Intelligent Shipping Technology
The “Beigang Canal 002” is equipped with four integrated intelligent systems that represent a fundamental shift from traditional transport tools to what industry officials describe as “shipping data nodes.” According to CCTV News, the vessel’s Intelligent Integrated Platform serves as its “central brain,” integrating core navigation data and enabling ship-shore communication and data transmission.
An Intelligent Navigation System employs multi-sensor fusion with real-time waterway perception, providing obstacle warnings and intelligent route planning. A monitoring and alarm system achieves 24-hour full coverage of critical equipment including power, emergency, and anti-pollution systems. Engineer Zhao Bingshuang confirmed that abnormal response time does not exceed three seconds, with fault location accuracy reaching 95 percent.
Yang Zhigang, Production Supervisor at Guangxi Xijiang Heavy Industry, explained that the longest test was the main engine stable operation test, lasting approximately four hours to verify installation quality. A navigation performance test lasting about an hour and a half recorded the ship’s speed under set parameters in both downstream and upstream conditions.
Green Shipping with LNG Power
The vessel is powered by a pure LNG single-fuel engine, delivering substantial environmental benefits compared to traditional diesel ships. Annual emission reductions include 23 percent less CO₂, 99 percent less sulfides, 92 percent less nitrogen oxides, and 99 percent less particulate matter. The switch to LNG replaces approximately 520 tonnes of diesel annually, saving an estimated 1 million RMB (about $138,000) per year in operating costs. The ship meets inland vessel Phase 2 Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) standards.
Part of a Larger Fleet
The “Beigang Canal 002” is one of four smart ships in the first batch, which includes two river vessels (“Beigang Canal 001” and “002”) and two river-sea direct vessels. All four are scheduled for delivery in August 2026 and will be deployed on Pinglu Canal river-sea direct routes. The Northern Gulf Port Group, which oversees the project, stated that the successful trial voyage “marks a milestone in the construction of green intelligent demonstration ships for the Pinglu Canal, providing solid vessel support for the canal’s full navigation.”
The Pinglu Canal: A Strategic Infrastructure Project
The Pinglu Canal is a landmark national infrastructure project connecting the Xijiang River system (part of the Pearl River basin) to the Beibu Gulf (Qinzhou Bay) in Guangxi. Spanning 134.2 kilometers, it is the first canal project since the founding of the People’s Republic of China that connects a river to the sea at the national level. The canal will shorten shipping routes from southwestern China to the sea by over 560 kilometers compared to traditional routes through the Pearl River Delta.
In February 2026, China’s Ministry of Transport launched a pilot project for “Guangxi Pinglu Canal Intelligent Ship Navigation and Support Application,” with the goal of building a “world-class inland smart shipping innovation benchmark.” The three-year plan aims to establish China’s first demonstration zone for “full-element intelligent interaction, full-chain efficient coordination, and full-voyage autonomous control” in inland smart shipping.
What Comes Next
Wei Haiquan, Deputy Director of the Ship Supervision Division at the Guangxi Maritime Safety Administration, confirmed that the trial voyage was “stable and orderly, with all ship equipment operating normally, achieving the design objectives.” He added that high-precision sensing equipment and communication networks will be deployed at the Pinglu Canal locks and key sections, with autonomous driving tests planned in a batch-by-batch manner.
The Pinglu Canal is scheduled for trial navigation in September 2026 during the China-ASEAN Expo, with full commercial operation expected by the end of the year. The smart shipping initiative also includes international dimensions, with plans to share the “Guangxi experience” with ASEAN countries, positioning the canal as a strategic link between southwestern China and Southeast Asian markets.
As China advances its “Smart China” and digital economy initiatives, the successful trial of the “Beigang Canal 002” demonstrates how artificial intelligence, IoT, and autonomous navigation technologies are being integrated into the nation’s transportation infrastructure — setting a new standard for inland waterway shipping worldwide.