Vessels enter a ship lock of the Pinglu Canal in Lingshan county, Qinzhou, South China"s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on August 12, 2026.

　　Equipped with China"s homegrown BeiDou positioning systems, drones and sensors, four vessels began trial runs along China"s Pinglu Canal on Wednesday. The canal, which is planned for opening in September, will greatly inject economic vitality to areas along its route and turbocharge China"s trade connection with the ASEAN with its cost-saving transportation, a Chinese analyst said.

　　The vessels conducting trials on Wednesday represent the main types expected to sail on this canal, namely loaded and unloaded 5,000-tonne ships as well as loaded 3,000-tonne and 1,000-tonne vessels, Xinhua News Agency reported.

　　The trials began when an unloaded 5,000-ton vessel departed from the Xinfu service area along the canal in South China"s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

　　With sensors collect data on their routes, movements, water currents and safe distances between ships, the tests will assess navigation under both normal and adverse conditions and examine whether the canal"s waterways, locks, anchorages, service areas and navigation facilities are ready for operation.

　　Chinese analysts said the tests starting on Wednesday, days after the canal completed its first full-route patrol, indicated that the canal is one step closer to its scheduled opening in September as final preparation work ramp up.