According to media reports on September 22， the main hoisting unit of the Baise Ship Lift， the world’s largest hoisting-type vertical ship lift independently developed and manufactured in China， has been successfully delivered by China Energy Engineering Corporation Gezhouba Machinery and Ship Company. This milestone signifies China’s leading position globally in the field of hoisting-type vertical ship lifts and highlights the formidable strength of “Made in China” intelligent manufacturing.
The Baise Ship Lift boasts several world-first achievements， including the globally longest lifting ship chamber， a maximum hoisting capacity of 10，700 tons for a hoisting-type lift， and the micron-level precision manufacturing of its core component， a 280-ton hoisting drum. These advancements elevate China’s high-end equipment manufacturing capabilities to new heights.
With a total lifting weight of 10，700 tons and a lifting height of 88.8 meters， this ship lift is currently the largest under construction worldwide. Upon completion， it will become the second-largest ship lift globally， surpassed only by the Three Gorges Ship Lift， and will hold the distinction of being the world’s largest hoisting-type vertical ship lift.
The main hoisting unit， delivered in this instance， serves as the “power core” of the entire ship lift. Its development and manufacturing process overcame numerous world-class technical challenges. The project team independently designed and built a 6 x 6 x 19-meter adjustable bogie gas annealing furnace， enabling the overall annealing of the massive hoisting drums to eliminate welding stresses. Each hoisting drum underwent 35 consecutive days of precision machining on a 6.3-meter CNC horizontal lathe， achieving micron-level accuracy. Welding operations were fully automated with robots， resulting in a 100% first-time pass rate for longitudinal and circumferential welds. The project has been granted 8 national patents and utilizes 24 proprietary patented technologies， vividly demonstrating China’s core strength in the field of major equipment manufacturing.
The successful delivery of the Baise Ship Lift’s main hoisting unit will significantly accelerate the construction of the waterway navigation facilities for the Baise Water Conservancy Hub in Guangxi province. Its completion holds vital importance for opening up the shortest water transport channel from Yunnan to the sea， fostering the development of the Pearl River-Xijiang River Economic Belt， and supporting the integration of Yunnan and Guizhou provinces into the Greater Bay Area construction.
