The Dazhi River West Hub second lock, the largest ship lock in the Yangtze delta, was finished yesterday.

It will create the largest inland river hub in Shanghai reaching the 1,000-ton level after full operation starts tomorrow.

The lock will be the west terminal of the Dazhi-Luchao channel, at the junction of the Huangpu and Dazhi rivers in the Pudong New Area.

Channels connecting Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces including the Suzhou-Shanghai Outer Port Line, the Hangzhou-Shanghai and Changhu-Shanghai Lines have almost finished construction.

The four-year project by the Shanghai Chengtou Waterway Construction Co, will have a capacity of 29 million tons per year.

Before the second lock, the old west lock built in 1979 only had a capacity of 12 million tons per year and a load limit of 300 tons, which could not meet demand.

After it comes into operation, 1,000-ton/90 TEU inland container ships will be able to enter the Luchao Port from the Huangpu River.

The new lock will also help protect the environment.

“The smooth navigation of the second line lock is a milestone for the city’s development,” said Zhang Lin, deputy director of the Shanghai Transportation Committee.

“It will also back up the regional economy and ensure operational safety.”