An elevator capable of lifting entire cargo ships has been in operation since 2016 at the Yangtze River near the Three Gorges Dam in Yichang, Hubei province. This massive structure can lift ships weighing up to 3,000 tonnes to a height of 113 meters in just 40 minutes. This is a significant improvement over the older lock system, which takes three hours to move ships through the dam area. However, ships heavier than 3,000 tonnes must use the traditional lock system, which is designed to handle much larger vessels. The elevator uses a floating basin mechanism. A ship enters a large, water-filled chamber that is then mechanically lifted by powerful machinery. The chamber, along with the water and lifting equipment, weighs over 15,500 tonnes and is raised along towers that reach 169 meters. The system uses four drive mechanisms with gears and racks, providing support at four points to prevent swaying or tipping. This design avoids the use of steel cables, which were originally considered but later ruled out due to concerns about instability during the lifting process. The elevator project faced several delays and underwent significant design changes. Initially, the plan was to suspend the lifting chamber using steel cables. However, in 2003, the German company Krebs und Kiefer proposed a safer alternative using gear and rack mechanisms, which were ultimately adopted. Construction resumed in 2008, and the elevator was completed in 2015, becoming fully operational in 2016. The 3,000-ton limit is due to the structural constraints of the elevator system. The Three Gorges Dam also includes a five-level lock staircase that can accommodate ships weighing up to 10,000 tonnes. Smaller and medium-sized vessels use the elevator, while larger ships use the locks. Since its opening, the elevator has transported more than a million passengers and several million tonnes of freight. Compared to similar structures in Europe, like the Strépy-Thieu in Belgium and the one in Lüneburg, Germany, the Three Gorges elevator has nearly triple the load capacity and almost double the lifting height.