Hydropower station in SW China adopts lifts to help ships pass through

The Wujiang River waterway in southwest China’s Guizhou Province has recently resumed water traffic. Fourteen cargo ships loaded with 6,800 tons of phosphate ore were seen sailing along the river heading for a port in Wuhu, east China’s Anhui Province.

Photo shows a ship sailing toward the second ship lift through a water channel along the Goupitan hydropower station navigation project. (Photo/gzspic.com)

When the ships arrived at the Goupitan hydropower station navigation project, which is located in Guizhou Province, they moved through the river while being transferred by three vertical ship lifts linked by two intermediate channels. The process seemed easy and smooth, but the construction of the project was as difficult as one imagines.

The Goupitan hydropower station was put into operation in 2009. It is the biggest power station in Guizhou and a key part of the national west-to-east power transmission project.

Photo shows a ship sailing toward the second ship lifts through a water channel along the Goupitan hydropower station navigation project. (Photo/gzspic.com)

The Goupitan hydropower station navigation project, which opened to water traffic this year, has been dubbed “a ship lift museum” by industry experts. It is the first of this kind in the world to adopt three ship lifts to help ships travel through the river. It also has the highest navigation buildings in the world, with water levels from upstream to downstream reaching 199 meters.

The lifting height completed by the second ship lift can reach 127 meters, the highest single lift in the world. The first and third ship lifts, which are able to lift a ship with a maximum weight of 500 tons from the water, are the largest lifts in the world with the strongest lifting power. In addition, the Goupitan hydropower station navigation project is also the first in the country that has tunnels for ships to pass through.

Photo shows a ship sailing toward the second ship lifts through a water channel along the Goupitan hydropower station navigation project. (Photo/gzspic.com)

Photo shows two ships sailing toward the second and third ship lifts, respectively, through two water channels along the Goupitan hydropower station navigation project. (Photo/gzspic.com)

Photo shows a ship sailing toward the third ship lift through a water channel along the Goupitan hydropower station navigation project. (Photo/gzspic.com)

Photo shows a ship leaving the third ship lift of the Goupitan hydropower station navigation project. (Photo/gzspic.com)

Photo shows ships moving underneath the Heshandu Wujiang River Grand Bridge located in southwest China's Guizhou Province. (Photo/gzspic.com)

Photo shows ships moving along the Wujiang River. (Photo/gzspic.com)

Photo shows ships moving along the Wujiang River. (Photo/gzspic.com)

Photo shows phosphate ore carried by a cargo ship being loaded into a bigger ship, which will then set sail along the Yangtze River in Fuling, southwest China's Chongqing municipality. (Photo/gzspic.com)

Photo shows phosphate ore carried by a cargo ship being loaded into a bigger ship, which will then set sail along the Yangtze River in Fuling, southwest China's Chongqing municipality. (Photo/gzspic.com)

A ship passes under a bridge on the Wujiang River to enter the Yangtze River. (Photo/gzspic.com)