From November 11th to 13th, the “Transport Along the Yangtze River” media deep interview tour, launched simultaneously with the fifth “My Home is by the Yangtze River” themed publicity campaign, came to Hubei and entered the Jianghan Canal. Media representatives experienced firsthand the vibrant practices of regional coordinated development, smart shipping construction, and green water transport development.
As an important part of the national high-grade waterway network, the Jianghan Canal starts from Longzhouyuan in Jingzhou City on the Yangtze River in the south and flows into the Han River at Gaoshibei Town in Qianjiang City in the north, with a total length of 67.22 kilometers. Since its opening to navigation on September 26, 2014, the Jianghan Canal has connected the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and the Han River, forming an 810-kilometer golden waterway circle capable of handling thousand-ton vessels around the Jianghan Plain and connecting the Wuhan metropolitan area. It has become a key component of the Han-Xiang-Gui inland shipping corridor.
Green Foundation, Building Low-Carbon Ecological Shipping
The scenery on both sides of the canal is charming, with solar-powered navigation lights shining brightly and bridges spanning the river in an orderly manner, sketching a picture of ecological and shipping symbiosis.
Peng Xingwu, Deputy Director of the Hubei Provincial Jianghan Canal Waterway Management Office, introduced that since its opening, the Jianghan Canal has cumulatively handled 32 million tons of cargo, covering more than 50 types including building materials, minerals, and chemicals. Its shipping routes radiate to the Yangtze River, Han River, Xiang River, Pearl River, and other basins.
To promote green and low-carbon development, the entire Jianghan Canal has achieved full coverage of solar power supply for its navigation aids and electronic monitoring systems. According to statistics, just by shortening shipping routes and transferring road freight volume, the Jianghan Canal reduces carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 3,000 tons annually, becoming a vivid example of green development in inland waterway transport.
Smart Empowerment, Leap in Navigation Service Efficiency
In the centralized control room of the Longzhouyuan Lock, data such as waterway water levels, vessel traffic, and lock operations flicker in real-time on computer screens, presenting a clear picture of intelligent management scenarios. Meng Chao, an operator at the lock management office, explained that after the intelligent shipping management and service system was put into use, functions such as AIS information collection, Beidou positioning, and electronic monitoring were realized. The “e船畅” APP makes remote lock passage declaration and scheduling inquiries more convenient for vessels.
“One-click lock passage declaration effectively reduces vessel transport time and costs, improving service efficiency,” Meng Chao said. Currently, six locks along the Han River and the Jianghan Canal have achieved one-click declaration, data sharing, and joint scheduling.
Coordinated Co-governance, Building a Strong Safety Management Barrier
At the Haochuan Water Transfer Base, Ke Li, Secretary of the Second Party Branch of the Hubei Provincial Jianghan Canal Waterway Management Office, introduced that in 2022, the office collaborated with six units including maritime authorities and port and shipping logistics development centers along the route to establish a co-construction, co-governance, and sharing management framework. “Through joint drills and exercises, mobile crew classrooms, joint inspections of vessel pollution, and other activities, we continuously improve the coordination mechanism for confluence areas. We have now achieved joint handling of abnormal vessels and real-time notification of navigation dynamics, significantly improving the navigation safety factor in trunk-branch confluence waters.”
Zhu Lifeng, Political Commissar of the Shashi Maritime Office of the Jingzhou Maritime Safety Administration, stated that the Jianghan Canal is not only a transport channel but also a channel for people’s livelihood and development. The alliance will continue to deepen collaborative cooperation, exerting joint efforts in safety supervision, pollution prevention, and service improvement to better serve vessels and shipping companies along the route.
People’s Livelihood as the Foundation, Conveying the Warmth of Waterway Services
“In the past, passing the lock required visiting the window and making phone calls. Now, with one-click declaration, a single lock passage takes only 40 minutes.” Captain Yuan of the “Honglun 0019,” docked at the Longzhouyuan Lock, submitted his lock passage application via a mobile APP, with the screen displaying queuing information and entry guidance in real-time. What impressed him was not only the efficient navigation but also the considerate service from the management department: “Hydrological and meteorological warnings are pushed promptly, they provide cooling items in summer and warmth in winter, and we can even consult on legal issues. The service here is the most reassuring.”
The opening of the Jianghan Canal has helped connect 11 towns in 4 cities along its route like a string of pearls, promoting reduced regional logistics costs and faster cargo turnover. It has become an economic link connecting the shipping of the Yangtze and Han Rivers. Today, the safe, smooth, green, and efficient Jianghan Canal injects strong momentum into the high-quality economic and social development of Hubei and continues to write a new chapter for Jing-Chu’s development in the blueprint of the Yangtze River Economic Belt construction. (End)
