Construction Begins on China’s US$10bn Pinglu Canal

• 30 September 2022
• Construction Focus
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Construction of the Pinglu Canal, one of the major projects of China’s new western land-sea corridor, began last month in Qinzhou, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

According to China Daily, the project will cost 72.73 billion yuan or US$10.5 billion and will take 4.5 years to complete.

The canal is 135km connecting Xijin Reservoir in Hengzhou to Luwu town in Lingshan county, where ships will be able to reach the Beibu Gulf via the Qinjiang River.

The purpose of the canal is for shipping, water supplies, irrigation, flood protection, and aquatic ecosystem improvement.

With adequate depth, the canal will allow a ship to carry 5,000 tons of cargo. This will relieve transportation pressure and the risks of traveling through the Yangtze and Pearl rivers.

The canal will also shorten the journey along the gulf in southwestern China by around 560km and help save over 5.2 billion yuan in transportation costs annually.

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