Operation of the No.1 shiplock at the Gezhouba Dam in Yichang, Hubei province, will remain suspended for 20 days until midnight on 29 August, according to the Three Gorges Administration. As part of a major renovation project, all three of the dam’s shiplocks are being upgraded after 30 years of operation.

The control systems for each of the locks are to be integrated. Currently they run independently, a hindrance for the efficient scheduling of vessels and overall operational management. The upgrading of the No.3 lock was completed in April this year; work on the No.2 lock will begin in November.

Officials have warned of likely traffic congestion upstream of the Three Gorges Dam and downstream of the Gezhouba Dam, which are only 38km apart. It is not clear if financial compensation is available for shippers who may resort to trucking this section and thereby incurring extra cost.