{"id":60137815,"date":"2026-06-11T12:17:07","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T11:17:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/?post_type=news_digest&p=60137815"},"modified":"2026-06-11T12:17:11","modified_gmt":"2026-06-11T11:17:11","slug":"work-begins-to-double-three-gorges-dam-shipping-capacity","status":"publish","type":"news_digest","link":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/digest\/work-begins-to-double-three-gorges-dam-shipping-capacity\/","title":{"rendered":"Work begins to double Three Gorges Dam shipping capacity"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

On 8 June, construction began on a new water channel at the Three Gorges Dam in Hubei, to meet surging shipping demand since the dam opened in 2003.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A new double-line, five-stage shipping channel will be built to complement the existing double-line lock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

State media Xinhua refers<\/a> to it as a \u201ccomprehensive project integrating water conservancy, navigation and ecological functions\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2011, cargo throughput at the Three Gorges lock exceeded 100 million tons for the first time, reaching its designed capacity 19 years ahead of schedule. By 2025, it had reached 173 million tons, according<\/a> to CCTV (China Central TV). The new channel, which is slated for completion in 2033, will increase capacity to 336 million tons.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Xinhua reports<\/a> that the project will include fish passages, in an efffort to help restock rare and endemic Yangtze fish species, and a seeming answer to previous research finding<\/a> that dam construction and reservoir impoundment have damaged spawning habitats. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other green construction measures will include reducing the volume of excavated spoil, promoting its resource recovery and reuse, and optimising construction site layouts, according<\/a> to China Environmental News.

Discussions and technical studies regarding capacity expansion have been going on for more than ten years. The feasibility study for this new corridor project was approved<\/a> by the National Development and Reform Commission last year.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Three Gorges Dam was designed to provide flood control, hydropower generation and improved navigation along the Yangtze. \u201cThe world\u2019s largest clean energy corridor\u201d, consisting of six major hydropower stations along the river, has surpassed 4 billion gigawatt-hours in cumulative electricity generation, according<\/a> to People\u2019s Daily.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research finds the project has also had ecological consequences<\/a> and social impacts<\/a>, including altered river hydrology, sediment retention, biodiversity disruptions, and resident displacement and resettlement issues influencing 1.13 million people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read Dialogue Earth\u2019s <\/em>analysis<\/em><\/a> of China\u2019s green shipping, published earlier this year.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On 8 June, construction began on a new water channel at the Three Gorges Dam in Hubei, to meet surging shipping demand since the dam opened in 2003<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":60006649,"template":"","categories":[758],"tags":[511,50040314,556,587,591,14061],"country":[20000110],"digest-collection":[50039911],"class_list":["post-60137815","news_digest","type-news_digest","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business","tag-biodiversity","tag-dams","tag-infrastructure","tag-rivers","tag-shipping","tag-transport","country-china"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWork begins to double Three Gorges Dam shipping capacity | Dialogue Earth<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"On 8 June, construction began on a new water channel at the Three Gorges Dam in Hubei, to meet surging shipping demand since the dam opened in 2003\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link 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