On June 18, the Three Gorges dual-line five-step ship lock marked its 23rd anniversary of operation. According to statistics from the Three Gorges Navigation Authority, since opening to public vessels on June 18, 2003, the Three Gorges ship lock has operated a total of 225,000 lockages, facilitating the passage of over 1.111 million vessels and more than 12.327 million passengers, with a cumulative cargo throughput of 2.4 billion tons.
The Three Gorges Navigation Authority has continuously optimized scheduling plans, steadily improving the space utilization efficiency and navigation efficiency of the Three Gorges ship lock chambers; strictly implemented the “dual control and dual review,” “three synchronization,” and “four precision” operation management systems; established a management model integrating “pre-inspection and pre-repair, condition-based maintenance, and coordinated operation and maintenance”; innovatively implemented a “rotational repair” mechanism for critical equipment, conducted routine safety hazard inspections, and built a three-in-one safety assurance system combining “human defense, physical defense, and technical defense,” ensuring the safe and stable operation of the Three Gorges ship lock for over 8,000 consecutive days, with the equipment failure and obstruction rate controlled below 0.2%. The high-quality and stable navigation environment not only ensures the efficient circulation of livelihood materials and production raw materials but also safeguards the travel safety of countless crew members on the river, allowing those working on the water to navigate with peace of mind and return home safely.
