Yangtze River to ship 680,000 passengers during Spring Festival ( 2003-12-23 21:04) (Xinhua)
During the upcoming Spring Festival period starting from January 7, 2004,
about 680,000 passengers will travel by ship on China's longest river, the
Yangtze River, according to resources with the Ministry of Communications
Tuesday.
The period will be the first travel surge for the Three Gorges after the
permanent ship lock, the world's largest, was built.
The increasing number of migrant workers going home will challenge the
capacity of shipping companies along the river.
According to the Yangtze River shipping bureau under the ministry of
communication, more than 137 passenger ships will be used for the transport
task, which can seat about 56,357 passengers in all.
In addition, a joint spring season transport leading group, composed of all
local shipping sectors along the river, will also be set up to ensure safety and
efficiency.
|