Aiming at the problem of how to improve the efficiency of Three Gorges ship lock,the internal relationship between the sequence of five-level upward operation locks and the efficiency of Three Gorges ship lock is studied.Based on the law of the five-stage upward movement of the Three Gorges ship lock,an idealized model is established.It is concluded that the two main factors affecting the efficiency of the upward passage of the Three Gorges ship lock are the delay time of moving berths and the delay time of equipment.By using the equivalent model to deduce and apply the “same ship concentration,trapezoid distribution” arrangement method to optimize the lock sequence,the time of berthing delay can be effectively reduced,so as to improve the efficiency of the upstream five-stage operation locks of the Three Gorges ship lock.