Digital system streamlines ship waste disposal

By Shen Yuan, Yichang International Communication Studio

Four years ago, Yichang launched a ship garbage and wastewater digital processing service to help thousands of ships.

“Jingxiaoyi,” which means “Cleaning Little Yi(chang),” is similar to a taxi hailing app. Ships are able to solicit a garbage and wastewater service ship via the app. By August 15, Jingxiaoyi has helped process a total of 530,000 tons of garbage and wastewater from ships traveling across the numerous rivers in Yichang.



Yichang is home to the Three Gorges Dam Project and the Gezhouba Water Control Project. It has long been known as the "Gateway to the Three Gorges" and is an important ecological barrier. For the dam locks alone, about 60,000 ships pass through each year. Jingxiaoyi was built to help the ships dispose of their solid and liquid waste properly.

Ships can call for a garbage receiving ship on the Jingxiaoyi app. Once called, a nearby receiving ship will take the order. In roughly 15 minutes, the two ships will meet to complete the waste delivery.



Ship pollution prevention and control is part of a systematic project, involving transportation, housing, environmental protection, urban management and other departments. Thanks to the system, all garbage and wastewater from ships in Yichang are able to be properly handled. By August 15, the volume of ship pollutants handled through Jingxiaoyi reached 504,000 orders, according to the Yichang Port and Navigation Construction and Maintenance Center.