By Phetsamone Phommouny

(KPL) The construction of the Pinglu Canal of China, a future-oriented logistics project connecting Western China with Southeast Asia and the global market, is now more than halfway complete. 

The canal is expected to begin trial operations by the end of 2026.

The Pinglu Canal, located in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, southern China, commenced construction on August 28, 2022, with a total investment of 72.7 billion yuan. As of now, earthwork and rock excavation for the Pinglu Canal project have reached 53.2% completion, employing more than 20,000 workers.

Stretching 134.2 kilometers, the canal connects Hengzhou County in Nanning to the Beibu Gulf. The canal is designed with three locks that can handle ships of up to 5,000 tons. Once completed, the transportation of goods from the southwest region to the sea via the Pinglu Canal will shorten the inland waterway voyage by more than 560 kilometers compared to shipping through the Port of Guangzhou.

“After completion and navigation, the Pinglu Canal will shorten the shipping distance between ASEAN countries and the southwestern region, reduce transportation costs between ASEAN countries and China, improve trade efficiency, and promote the growth of trade volume of both sides, so as to further enhance the complementarity of trade, and drive in-depth cooperation in agriculture, manufacturing, services and other industries,” said Yuan Peng, Deputy Director of Engineering Department at Pinglu Canal Group Co., Ltd.

Pinglu Canal is the first canal project connecting the rivers and the sea since the founding of the People's Republic of China. It is a backbone project of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, a landmark project for accelerating the construction of China with strong transportation network, and a significant project that is eagerly awaited by Guangxi, closely related to Guangxi's transportation network, develops the river-sea intermodal transportation, and coordinates the development of underdeveloped and developed areas.

KPL