The Dateng Gorge hydro dam ship lock opened for its two-way trial navigation Tuesday.
The dam in Guiping City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region is designed for multiple purposes including flood control, navigation and power generation.
It will reduce river salinity during the dry season, improving the quality of water supplied to Pearl River Delta cities including Macao.
Its operation will allow larger ships to ply in the river and raise the river's annual freight volume from 13 million tons to 52 million tons.
