China has been paid for a long time Megaconstructions. Some of the most important projects in recent years have had China as the main country. Your approach differs from the Torres Carrera that we see between Saudi Arabia and Arab Emirates: Chinese works are looking to unite the territory with huge bridges either impossible tunnels. Within that ambition are channels such as Pinglu that They look take the sea to the interior cities.
And everything is part of China’s strategy to master the world market.
Pinglu channel. After years of planning, in 2023 the works of this channel located in the Guangxi region began that will connect the Yu interior river with the Gulf of Tonkin, located in the controversial and transcendental sea of southern China. It will be key to the transport of goods, since the channel will save 560 kilometers away that must be traveled by roads.
The channel is expected to be able to start moving merchandise in December of 2026 and the cost of the project points to be about 9.3 billion euros. And all the figures surrounding the project are rimbombantes.
Colossal. Pinglu’s is the First big channel built in China from the Foundation of the Popular Republic and talk about channels such as Panamaa vital point for worldwide tradeeither The future Sena-NorteIt implies talking about elements that are authentic wonders of hydraulic engineering, as well as capital importance in globalization. He Pinglu channel It will be ambitious in the length that will cover, 134 kilometers, but also for its role in China’s strategy.
Ships with up to 5,000 tons of dead weight and dimensions of 90 meters of length, 15.8 manga and five draft are expected. Your system will be based in two locks 300 meters long and 34 wide that will allow to exceed unevenness up to 65 meters. Beyond saving the unevenness, these locks are being built so that they operate quickly, opening and closing in a short time to expedite the paths.
Mass work in record time. Of those 134 kilometers long, just 6.5 kilometers are new, but for the rest they have had to adapt the rivers to accommodate the ships. To do this, more than 50 million cubic meters of material have been moved and the total excavation is expected to be more than 339 million cubic meters. This is more than three times the volume of the Monumental dam of the three throats.
Beyond the technology that the locks are being equipped, a concrete mixture designed for Resist marine water erosion For more than 100 years, minimizing maintenance. And if it begins to operate in 2026, as planned, there will barely seven years since the firm approach of the work began and three since it began to be built.
Controversies. Moving that amount of land and doing it in certain areas close to the rivers has a problem: the ecosystem of some species may be endangered. Environmental concerns revolve around this, since the works are carried out very close to mangroves, which could be seen affected for the works.
Strategic trade. However, 5,000 -ton ships are considerably smaller than others that cross the Panama Canal and that of Suez (which can exceed 65,000 tons), but the idea is that these ships arrive from the interior areas to the marine ports and, from there, follow their destination as part of the great dream of Xi Jinping: the New Silk Route.
Because the Pinglu channel is closely linked to this new commercial corridor and connect the western interior and southwest China with international markets is a very important part of this strategy of the country to strengthen and diversify the export and import routes of the country to the rest of Asia, Africa and above all, Europe.
Hopes. Apart from that improvement in the commercial connection, China expects the pinglu channel Reduce transport costs. A ship is considerably cheaper than other media such as trucks, trains and airplanes, so they expect saving of about 725 million dollars annually. In addition, it will contribute to decongesting traffic in the region, a problem that the country suffers in its most industrial areas.
In addition, although the project is mainly for transport, wait to bring improvements in water management for irrigation, but also serve as a measure of avoiding floods in the area.
Beyond pinglu. As dizziness that are their figures and the short deadlines that they handle to lift pharaonic works, Pinglu’s is just one more piece in the China Geopolitical and Commercial Board. Because the country has plans for other international corridors, such as Kra in Thailand to avoid the Malaca Strait, which is another key point of the new silk route, but also more modest interior channels.
For example, that of Zhejiang-Jiangxi-Guangdong, that of Jinghan or Xianggui to unite on these river highways interior regions and promote trade, as well as industries such as steel while reduce contamination of conventional road transport.
And it is all of an ambitious strategy of China for promoting trade inside and outside its region and, therefore, with the objective of increase its importance in the market and global policy.
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