The river-sea boundary of the Pinglu Canal has been officially demarcated, clearly defining the jurisdictional and regulatory boundaries.

2026-04-17

Recently, the Guangxi Maritime Safety Administration and the Transportation Department of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region jointly issued an announcement formally delineating the river–sea boundary of the Pinglu Canal. The boundary is defined as the vertical projection of the southern edge of the Qinzhou River Bridge on the G75 Lanzhou–Haikou Expressway: waters to the north of the boundary are classified as inland waterways and are governed by the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on the Safety Management of Inland Waterway Traffic and other relevant inland waterway laws and regulations; waters to the south of the boundary are classified as maritime areas and are governed by the Maritime Traffic Safety Law of the People’s Republic of China and other relevant maritime laws and regulations.

Using the Qijiang Bridge as the benchmark, resolve the ambiguity in water body classification.
   The estuary section of the Pinglu Canal lies at the transitional zone where inland waterways meet the sea, and has long been plagued by ambiguities regarding jurisdictional authority, unclear application of relevant regulations, and inconsistent standards for determining liability in accidents. To comprehensively resolve these challenges, the Guangxi Maritime Safety Administration and the Transportation Department of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, in accordance with the Maritime Traffic Safety Law of the People’s Republic of China, the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on the Safety Management of Inland Waterway Traffic, the Regulations of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on the Protection and Management of the Pinglu Canal, and other pertinent laws and regulations, and drawing on the findings of specialized research, have formally issued the aforementioned demarcation.

   Selecting the Qijiang Bridge on the G75 Lanhai Expressway as the demarcation benchmark offers multiple advantages: the bridge spans a canal, with a fixed geographic location that remains stable despite hydrological changes; the bridge structure is clearly visible, enabling mariners to readily perceive the transition in waterway characteristics as they pass; and its precise coordinates facilitate law enforcement patrols.

Unleashing Canal Capacity to Support the Western Land-Sea New Corridor Strategy
   Once the demarcation line is established, inland vessels and seagoing ships can freely switch between the two navigation modes on the Pinglu Canal, thereby fully unleashing the canal’s transport capacity and achieving a harmonious balance between safety and efficiency. At the same time, the demarcation line facilitates the scientific planning of shoreline resources, anchorages, and other related assets, enabling “domain-specific management and precise resource allocation.” It also provides clear regulatory boundaries for port planning and industrial layout along the canal, fostering the clustering of industries both in port areas and along the riverbanks.

   The Pinglu Canal is a key component of the New Western Land-Sea Corridor and China’s first strategic major waterway linking rivers and seas. The project was officially approved on March 17, 2022, and construction commenced on August 28, 2023. The estimated total investment is RMB 72.73 billion, with a construction period of 54 months.