The Three Gorges South Line Lock will be suspended for maintenance from March 4.

According to the approval of the Ministry of Transport, the Three Gorges South Line ship lock will officially start a 45-day planned suspension for maintenance on March 4, 2026, and it is planned to resume navigation on April 18. During the maintenance period, the navigation guarantee scheme will be started simultaneously: the Three Gorges North Line ship lock will match Gezhouba No.1 ship lock, adopt the mode of single-line operation and regular commutation to maintain navigation, and implement classified scheduling for specific ships such as key emergency cargo ships and container ships, so as to minimize the impact on the Yangtze River shipping. As a key navigation facility of the Three Gorges Project, the double-track five-level ship lock has been in safe operation for nearly 23 years. This regular "physical examination" is mainly for the comprehensive maintenance of mechanical, electrical and hydraulic equipment that has been in the underwater environment for a long time, aiming to eliminate hidden dangers. Improve equipment reliability and ensure its long-term safe and efficient operation. In order to ensure the smooth maintenance, the Yangtze River Three Gorges Navigation Administration has completed part of the non-suspension period construction and pre-inspection and pre-repair tasks in advance since the dry water period in November 2025.