On June 8, the Three Gorges new waterway project, the first major landmark national project to commence construction during China’s 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), broke ground in Yichang.

　　This is the largest comprehensive project integrating water conservancy, navigation and ecological functions along the main stream of the Yangtze River since the Three Gorges Project. With a total investment of approximately 77.208 billion yuan, the project consists of a new navigation passage at the Three Gorges Dam and a navigation capacity expansion at the Gezhouba Dam.

　　The new passage at the Three Gorges Dam involves constructing a new double‑line, five‑stage continuous ship lock system north of the existing facility, with a total alignment length of approximately 6,680 meters and a scheduled construction period of 112 months (including a 12‑month preparation period). The expansion at the Gezhouba Dam involves demolishing the existing No. 3 ship lock and building two new single‑stage ship locks, with a construction period of 95 months (including a 12‑month preparation period).

　　Designed to accommodate vessels of up to 10,000 metric tons, the project will, upon completion, raise the total annual two‑way throughput capacity of the Three Gorges Dam to 336 million metric tons and that of the Gezhouba Dam to 360 million metric tons. The existing Three Gorges Dam ship locks have been operating in sustained overload for more than 20 years; in 2025, the total cargo throughput passing through the dam reached 173 million metric tons, far exceeding their original design capacity, making the construction of a new downstream passage both necessary and urgent. Once completed, the project will significantly enhance the navigation capacity of the Yangtze River’s golden waterway and support the high‑quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu, Dai Xiaohe and Li Siyuan)