Pinglu Canal accumulates investment of 51.8b yuan, embraces AI era

The photo of the Pinglu Canal construction site. [Photo/China News Service]

As of March 31, the Pinglu Canal has accumulated an investment of around 51.8 billion yuan ($7.1 billion), accounting for 71.2 percent of the total estimated investment, according to a statement by Pinglu Canal Group on April 2.

Approximately 279 million cubic meters of earth and stone have been excavated, representing 88.6 percent of the total project volume. Furthermore, around 4.05 million cu m of concrete for the main body of the ship lock have been poured, accounting for 69.3 percent of the total project volume.

The Pinglu Canal, spanning 134.2 kilometers, directly connects the Xijiang River with the Beibu Gulf, creating a vital waterway running through the north and south of Guangxi. It will allow goods to be shipped overseas from Southwest China via the Pinglu Canal.

Currently, nearly 20,000 construction workers and over 4,800 large-scale equipment units are diligently working along the canal, focusing on key sections to ensure safety and accelerate critical tasks such as hub concrete pouring, bridge construction, and metal structure installation.

The Pinglu Canal management team is adapting to the digital era, exploring AI-enabled waterway infrastructure monitoring, maintenance, dredging, autonomous vessel navigation, and comprehensive multimodal logistics information services.

The integration of DeepSeek and the smart canal enhances intelligent scheduling, navigation, perception, and operations applications, fostering a new era of intelligent waterway management.