Trial operation of the world’s largest shiplift began this week at the Three Gorges Dam in Hubei province, with high-end equipment and machinery manufacturer, China Erzhong receiving praise for the key role it played in the lift’s construction.

The giant elevator is designed to help small and medium-sized ships, with a maximum displacement of 3,000 tonnes, traverse the dam, cutting the time down 40 minutes to an hour.

Central government’s media outlets including Xinhua and the People’s Daily have all spoken positively about the group’s effect in the success of the project.

China Erzhong constructed and supplied special large scale gear racks and nut columns, vital to the project, the result of 10 years of research and development.

A wholly-owned subsidiary of China National Machinery Industry Corporation (Sinomach), China Erzhong is also the Three Gorges Dam’s only supplier of hydro-power forging parts graded at 700 megawatt for the Three Gorges project.

The Three Gorges project is a multi-functional water control system, consisting of a 2,309-meter long and 185-meter-high dam, a five-tier ship lock, 32 hydropower turbo-generators and now of course, a shiplift.

The shiplift, designed by a Chinese and German team, is the globally largest and most sophisticated, as announced by the China Three Gorges Corp, a state-owned company assigned for the Three Gorges project.

China Erzhong was widely praised for its role in the world’s largest shiplift which began trials at the Three Gorges Dam on Sept 18. [Photo/sinomach.com.cn]

A massive gear rack built by China Erzhong for the world’s biggest shiplift. [Photo/sinomach.com.cn]