About 1,000 shipping vessels jammed a five-meter-long section of
the Yangtze River near Zhenjiang City in east China's Jiangsu
Province.
The waterway traffic jam near the Jianbi shiplock has lasted
several days, forcing 3,000 sailors to stay idle on board, said
Zhao Yongfu, deputy director of the maritime bureau of
Zhenjiang.
Most of the vessels are cargo boats laden with coal heading to
the southern part of Jiangsu, which is in great demand for fuel as
the Spring Festival approaches.
Zhao cited low-water level at the Beijing-Hangzhou Great Canel,
a major route crossing the Yangtze, as another reason for the
jam.
"The approach channel of the ship lock is too short, and only
about 50 vessels can let through even if the lock is open day and
night," he said.
Zhao said his bureau had sent patrolling vessels to monitor and
maintain order in the area.
(Xinhua News Agency January 19, 2006)
