The reporter learned from a press conference held by the Yangtze River Navigation Management Bureau (referred to as Changhang Bureau) of the Ministry of Transport on the 26th that in 2024, it is expected that the cargo throughput of the Yangtze River mainline ports will be 4.02 billion tons, and the cargo volume of pilot ships will be 470 million tons, an increase of 3.9% and 6% respectively year-on-year. Since 2005, the freight volume of the Yangtze River trunk line has ranked first in the world's inland rivers for 20 consecutive years. This year, the Yangtze River mainline has experienced three numbered floods and adverse effects such as' sudden changes in flood and dry seasons', but the cargo throughput has still maintained growth, breaking through the 4 billion ton mark for the first time and reaching a new high, which is of great significance Xiong Yu, Director of the Transportation Service Department of Changhang Bureau, said. Xiong Yu stated that the Yangtze River is a major waterway that connects east and west, north and south, and reaches the sea. At present, the transportation scale of Yangtze River shipping is equivalent to dozens of heavy-duty railway lines operating at full capacity. The Yangtze River transports large amounts of raw materials such as coal, metal ores, and sand and gravel, providing a continuous stream of "fuel" for the economic "engine" along the river; A considerable portion of the materials and high-quality products necessary for economic development and livelihood security are sent to various parts of China and even the world through the Yangtze River. He introduced that the freight rates on the Yangtze River trunk line are low, with an average freight rate of about 0.03 yuan (RMB) per ton kilometer for dry bulk cargo, while the average freight rate on highways is between 0.4 yuan and 0.5 yuan. In recent years, Changhang Bureau has vigorously promoted the "revolving water" strategy. Currently, about 2% of the cargo turnover on the Yangtze River trunk line comes from road transfers. "Just this incremental part can reduce logistics costs by about 10.08 billion yuan on the original basis," Xiong Yu calculated. In 2024, the gold content of the Yangtze River's golden waterway will further increase. Changhang Bureau has completed the completion acceptance of the 6-meter deep waterway regulation project from Wuhan to Anqing, with a water depth increase of up to 1.5 meters. Ten thousand ton cargo ships can directly reach Wuhan year-round. We have successively increased the maintenance depth of the navigation channels from Chongqing to Fuling and from Jingzhou to Yichang, with the Jingzhou to Yichang section increasing from 4.0 meters to 4.3 meters. In the upstream of ship navigation, each voyage can carry an additional cargo of 500-1000 tons, with significant economic benefits. (New Society)