How does the Three Gorges Dam help ships travel on the Yangtze River?

The Three Gorges Dam facilitates navigation on the Yangtze River by creating an immense deepwater reservoir that allows oceangoing freighters to travel 2,250 km (1,400 miles) inland from Shanghai to Chongqing.1

To move vessels past the dam structure, the complex utilizes two primary systems:

• Five-tier ship locks: These allow vessels of up to 10,000 tons to navigate past the dam.12
• Ship lift: This system enables smaller vessels of up to 3,000 tons to bypass the locks and travel past the dam more quickly.1

By providing these passage mechanisms, the dam has significantly improved inland trade and transportation, allowing large cargo and passenger vessels to traverse the gorges region safely.12