The Yangtze Waterway blueprint, compiled by the Ministry of Transport, the State Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Water Resources and the Ministry of Finance, has recently received approval from the State Council.

According to the blueprint, the central government will spend Rmb43bn on dredging projects across the entire trunkline between now and 2020 to increase the Yangtze’s cargo-carrying capacity. By 2020, the Chongqing-Chenglingji section will be able to accommodate barge fleets of 6,000-10,000 dwt; 3,000 dwt ocean-going vessels should be able to sail between Chenglingji and Wuhan; 5,000 dwt ocean-going vessels should be able to sail from Wuhan to Nanjing; ocean-going vessels of 30,000-50,000 dwt should be able to sail all the way from the Yangtze mouth to Nanjing and vessels of 100,000 dwt can sail on tide, according to the blueprint. Every extra metre in water depth typically allows the passage of another 1,000 teu, therefore reducing shipping costs significantly.

The cost of these ambitious plans, while substantial, is dwarfed by government expenditure plans on road and railway projects. This year alone, the central government has budgeted Rmb103.5bn to spend on roads and Rmb73.2bn on railways.