“The Pinglu Canal — a mammoth project designed to fast connect China's inner regions in the southwest with the sea — opened to traffic for navigation on Sept 16 in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, enabling vessels with a draft of 5,000 metric tons to travel freely in its 134.2-kilometer waterway…

As the Pinglu Canal becomes navigable, goods from the southwestern region and South China can directly reach the sea via this route, shortening the inland voyage by over 560 kilometers compared to traditional maritime routes.”

From China Daily.