Sources from the Yangtze River Administration say that bunkering services for liquefied natural gas will soon be available on the Yangtze.

Trials on vessels have shown that a switch from petrol to natural gas could result in a 25 per cent reduction in the average fuel bill, and result in no emissions.

Four local governments − Wuhan, Huangshi, Xiangfan and Yichang − have already issued permits, but no further details were published.