The Three Gorges Administration of Navigational Affairs has clarified the procedures involving applications to pass the shiplocks, following a major accident in early August when 12 chemical containers together with 50 others fell into the reservoir. The new circular says that all GPS-equipped vessels carrying First Grade dangerous goods will need to claim the dangerous goods as their main cargo, no matter what volume is carried. All vessels containing any amount of First Grade dangerous goods in a container are to be treated as a special dangerous cargo vessel when it comes to applying for passing the shiplocks.

The GPS system in the Three Gorges has been integrated with the systems of major barge operators along the Yangtze, amounting to a combined GPS-equipped fleet of more than 2,600 vessels. More than 80 per cent of the vessels passing the shiplocks every day use the system to apply for a passing permit. The technology has enabled vessels to estimate more accurately their time of arrival at the shiplocks, thus allowing the authorities to manage the time slots more efficiently. Consequently, the average waiting time has been slashed to just below four hours from 24 hours.

In a separate development in Nanjing, a vessel carrying 12 portable tanks of isobutyl aldehyde and general cargo was severely reprimanded for breach of existing rules. Nanjing Maritime Safety officials went on board the vessel bound for Gezhouba Dam last week and discovered that the portable tanks carrying the inflammable liquid chemical were stored in the hold of the vessel rather than above deck. The crew were told to make the necessary change straight away.