The strategic value of inland waterway shipping to support economic and social development is further highlighted.

On September 9, the Inland Waterway Shipping High-Quality Development Forum (2026), co-hosted by the Yangtze River Shipping Administration of the Ministry of Transport and the China Institute of Navigation, was held in Wuhan, Hubei. Reporters learned from the forum that a series of landmark and breakthrough achievements have been made in the high-quality development of inland waterway shipping in China, further highlighting the strategic value of inland waterway shipping in supporting economic and social development.

By the end of 2025, the total navigable mileage of inland waterways nationwide will reach 129,000 kilometers, with the navigable mileage of high-grade waterways of grade three and above reaching 16,400 kilometers. There will be 503 berths for 10,000-ton-class and above at inland ports, and the number of inland ports with an annual throughput of over 100 million tons will reach 25. In 2025, the national inland waterway freight volume and freight turnover are expected to reach 5.02 billion tons and 2.2 trillion ton-kilometers, respectively, while the cargo throughput of inland ports will reach 6.7 billion tons. The integration of passenger transport and cultural tourism will develop, with passenger turnover reaching 22.7 billion passenger-kilometers, making the integration of transportation and tourism a new growth pole for inland waterway shipping.

In 2025, the national investment in fixed assets for waterway transportation will reach 214.47 billion yuan, of which 110.53 billion yuan will be allocated for inland waterway construction. During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, the annual average growth rate of fixed asset investment in inland waterway transportation will reach 11%, demonstrating strong resilience in comprehensive transportation construction and continuously addressing shortcomings in waterway infrastructure.

During the forum, the Yangtze River Shipping Administration, in collaboration with the transportation authorities of 14 provinces and cities along the Yangtze River system, established the Yangtze River Shipping Data Alliance. This alliance brings together port and shipping enterprises, research institutions, universities, and innovation entities to build, govern, share, and utilize data resources collectively, solidifying the digital and intelligent foundation of Yangtze River shipping and empowering the development of smart shipping. On the same day, the communication identification system "Yangtze New Chain Number," covering vessels on the Yangtze River trunk line, was officially launched, marking a new stage in the "5G+" application on the Yangtze River trunk line. The "Yangtze River Trunk Line Port and Shipping Collaborative Intelligent Service Innovation Application" initiative and the "Ship e-Treasure" shipping financial information service platform were also released simultaneously, providing strong support for the collaborative development of Yangtze River shipping.