Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng chaired a city executive meeting on June 1 that
approved in principle the 2026–2030 implementation plan to create a Yangtze
River Delta pilot zone for high-quality inland navigation and an inland water
transport connectivity project. The plan calls for accelerated reopening of
feeder inland waterways and fast, efficient linkage with maritime trunk routes
to form an integrated river–sea–port intermodal network, driven by major
projects to fill connectivity gaps and upgrades to port capacity and efficiency
to ensure interprovincial links and seaport access. It emphasizes green,
low‑carbon and smart development, including clean‑energy vessel pilots and
stronger digital platforms to enable “single-application, network-wide
clearance” and broader industry digitalization.
