The Yangtze River Administration has activated an Emergency Response Code at the Three Gorges Dam in an attempt to deal with a growing backlog of vessels waiting to pass the shiplocks. Low water levels downstream of the dam in Yichang have contributed to an increasing incidence of collisions and stranded vessels.

At 7:00am on 11 December, more than 500 vessels were waiting to pass the shiplocks at the Three Gorges and Gezhouba dams. By 6:00pm the emergency code was activated, meaning that no vessels would be issued with passing permits upstream beyond Jingzhou port, except those carrying diesel fuel, fresh groceries, coal, disaster relief goods, containers or ro-ro cargo.