Three Gorges New Navigation Channel Excavation Passes 50% Completion Milestone

Excavation work on the new navigation channel at the Three Gorges Dam has surpassed the 50% completion mark, with the pioneer excavation area reaching 56% of total volume as of June 22, 2026, according to CCTV News. The milestone represents rapid early progress on what is China’s first major national project of the “15th Five-Year Plan” period.

Context: A Decade in the Making

The Three Gorges Dam, the world’s largest hydropower project, includes a double-line five-stage ship lock system that has been operating since 2003. While the dam transformed the Yangtze River into a “golden waterway,” the locks have become a severe bottleneck. The existing ship locks have been operating at overcapacity since 2011, when annual cargo volume exceeded 100 million tons — 19 years ahead of design projections. By 2025, total cargo volume had reached 173 million tons, far exceeding design capacity, with average ship waiting times exceeding 200 hours.

The Three Gorges Waterway New Channel project, valued at approximately ¥772 billion (US$107 billion), officially broke ground on June 8, 2026, in Yichang, Hubei Province. It is the first major national landmark project of China’s “15th Five-Year Plan” period, as confirmed by the National Development and Reform Commission.

Rapid Excavation Progress

Yang Ning (杨宁), Deputy General Manager and Chief Engineer of the Three Gorges Waterway New Channel (Hubei) Company, reported that approximately 50,000 cubic meters of earth and rock are being removed daily, using over 300 pieces of equipment, of which 10-20% are new energy vehicles. The pioneer excavation area involves approximately 8.5 million cubic meters of excavation, with completion expected by October 2026. The entire project involves over 160 million cubic meters of earth and rock excavation.

Project Scope and Design

The project consists of two major components. The Three Gorges New Channel, located north of the existing ship locks, will be a new double-line continuous five-stage ship lock approximately 6,680 meters long, with a construction period of 112 months. The Gezhouba Navigation Expansion involves demolition of the existing No. 3 ship lock and construction of two new single-stage ship locks, with a construction period of 95 months.

Designed for 10,000-ton class vessels, the new channel will dramatically increase capacity. After completion, the Three Gorges枢纽 will have four ship lock lines plus a ship lift, with total annual two-way capacity reaching 336 million tons. The Gezhouba枢纽 will have four ship lock lines with total capacity of 360 million tons per year, according to Xinhua News Agency via CTG Group.

Economic and Strategic Significance

Su Fengming (宿凤鸣), a researcher at the Comprehensive Transport Institute of the NDRC, emphasized the critical importance of water transport: “Water transport costs are only 1/5 of rail and 1/15 of road transport. The cost advantage of water transport is very clear, with no better alternative.” He noted that the new channel will promote strategic linkages between the upstream Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle, the middle Yangtze River city clusters, and the Yangtze River Delta integration strategy.

Guo Mingqun (郭铭群), General Manager of China International Engineering Consulting Corporation, estimated that annual savings from improved navigation efficiency and substitution of land transport could reach ¥18 billion, with significant logistics cost reduction effects.

Technical Innovation and Environmental Considerations

The project incorporates several technological advances, including smart construction techniques using Beidou positioning for slope monitoring, intelligent concrete pouring and grouting systems, and specialized low-energy explosives for precision rock cutting. The excavated granite will be repurposed as commercial building stone material.

Environmental mitigation measures include dust suppression and noise barriers at construction sites. Through design optimization, excavation volume has been reduced by approximately 20 million cubic meters. The project is located in a national geological park and scenic area, requiring special mitigation measures.

Timeline and Forward Look

The pioneer excavation area is expected to be fully completed by October 2026, at which point the Gezhouba No. 3 ship lock will cease operation for construction. Main construction of the Gezhouba expansion is expected to begin in the first half of 2027. The Three Gorges new channel is projected for completion around 2035, with the Gezhouba expansion expected around 2034.

Liu Weiping (刘伟平), Chairman of China Three Gorges Group, described the project as “a major decision made by the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core.” The project is explicitly tied to China’s broader strategy of strengthening the Yangtze River Economic Belt, supporting the “Dual Circulation” development pattern, and shifting cargo from road and rail to more cost-effective and environmentally friendly water transport.

Once operational, the new channel is expected to reduce ship waiting times from over 200 hours to under 24 hours, fundamentally transforming the efficiency of one of the world’s busiest inland waterways.