THE Three Gorges ship locks recorded a year-on-year decrease of 15.37 per cent in 2012 in its cargo throughput to 91.49 million tonnes
THE Three Gorges ship locks recorded a year-on-year decrease of 15.37 per cent in 2012 in its cargo throughput to 91.49 million tonnes attributed to a weak economy and high water level in flood season, Xinhua reports.
In 2012, there were 44,263 vessels passed the ship locks, which are staircase locks built for the river traffic to bypass the Three Gorges Dam. Upward cargo volume remained at the same level as in 2011, taking up 62 per cent of the total. Downward shipments plunged nearly 30 per cent to 34.7 million tonnes from 48.48 million tonnes.
Minerals, ores and construction materials bound for Sichuan and Chongqing were the fastest growing category of cargo. Minerals and construction materials surged nearly 800 per cent to 19.26 million tonnes from 2.16 million tonnes in 2009. Ores grew to 17.68 million tonnes from 9.78 million tones in 2009 at an annual rate of 21.8 per cent.
Foreign trade containers and coal from Sichuan and Chongqing saw substantial decrease. Coal plunged 44.6 per cent year on year to 13.7 million tonnes.
