The Yangtze River Administration of Navigable Affairs under the Ministry of Transport announced on 11 February that a digital waterway map for the entire Yangtze trunkline would be available by the end of this year. Vessels equipped with digital waterway map systems will be able to unload the latest version, which shows information such as water levels, locations of shoals, ports and anchoring areas, thus helping vessels to charter their journeys safely and efficiently.

The Digital Waterway is an integral part of the Yangtze modernisation programme. By 2015, the government hopes to build a digital network for the navigable Yangtze, including digital mapping and real-time transfer of data to measure and profile waves, currents, discharges and sedimentation. Information will be shared across the different sections of waterway management, such as emergency services, life-saving, piloting and safety inspection.