Swansea docks facts for kids
Swansea Docks is the name for a group of docks in Swansea, Wales. They are located just south-east of the city centre. A long time ago, in the mid-1800s, this port was super important! It was sending out 60% of the world's copper from factories in the Tawe Valley. Today, the docks are run by a company called Associated British Ports and are known as the Port of Swansea. Part of the docks, especially around the Prince of Wales Dock, is being turned into a cool new area called the SA1 Swansea Waterfront.
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What are the Swansea Docks?
Over time, several docks have been built in Swansea. Some are still used, while others have changed. Let's explore them!
North Dock: A Dock that Disappeared
The North Dock was built because more ships were needed for the growing metal industry nearby. Workers changed the path of the River Tawe to create this new dock. It was finished in 1852.
However, bigger and newer docks were built on the other side of the River Tawe. This made the North Dock less useful, so it closed in 1930. The dock was later filled in, and a shopping area called Parc Tawe was built there in the late 1980s.
South Dock: Now a Marina!
Building the South Dock started in 1852. It was located west of the River Tawe, just south of the North Dock. It took a while to build and was finally finished in 1859.
The South Dock closed in 1971. In the 1980s, it was completely changed. The dock itself became the Swansea Marina, a place where boats can park. The land around it was developed into a living area called the Maritime Quarter.
Prince of Wales Dock: From Coal to Fun!
The Swansea Harbour Trust started building the Prince of Wales Dock in 1879. It was located in Fabian's Bay, east of the River Tawe. When it was finished, Edward, Prince of Wales (who later became King) officially opened it on October 18, 1881. It was made even bigger in 1898.
Over the years, the dock was used less and less. Now, the Prince of Wales Dock is being turned into the Prince of Wales Marina, with space for 500 boats! A new channel and sea lock were built to connect the marina directly to the River Tawe. For a short time, there was even a wakeboarding park here. Today, the dock is used for the swimming part of the annual Swansea Triathlon race.
King's Dock: Still Busy Today
Work on the King's Dock began in 1905. It was built to handle the increasing amount of tinplate being sent out from the local area. The King's Dock is much larger than the Prince of Wales Dock, covering about 72 acres (29 hectares). It was completed by 1909.
The King's Dock is the main dock still used today for moving cargo in the Port of Swansea.
Queen's Dock: From Oil to Mussels
While the King's Dock was being built, a large wall called a breakwater was also constructed further south. This created a huge area of water, about 151 acres (61 hectares). This area opened in 1920 as the Queen's Dock. It was built to handle oil coming in for the nearby BP oil refinery at Llandarcy and a chemical plant at Baglan Bay.
The Queen's Dock was busiest in the 1950s, handling about 8 million tonnes of oil each year! But after the oil and chemical plants closed, the Queen's Dock was no longer needed for oil. Now, it's used for mussel farming!
History of Swansea's Port
By the late 1800s, Swansea's port needed to grow a lot. This was because factories were making more copper, zinc, iron, and tinplate. Also, bigger steamships were replacing smaller sailing ships, so the port needed more space.
The Swansea Harbour Trust (SHT) decided to build the Prince of Wales Dock. This was the first big dock on the east side of the river. It was opened in 1881 by the Prince and Princess of Wales (who later became King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra). It was fully finished in 1882 and made even bigger in 1898.
Different railway companies, like the Great Western Railway, used the dock to connect coalfields directly to the ships.
Port of Swansea: What it Does Now
The Port of Swansea is an Atlantic shipping port. It is run by Associated British Ports. This port includes the King's Dock, Queen's Dock, two dry docks (for repairing ships), and a special terminal for roll-on/roll-off ferries in the River Tawe.
Port Facilities
The port has many useful features:
- Three large storage buildings with about 25,000 square meters of space.
- 12 quayside cranes to lift heavy things.
- Two drydocks for ship repairs.
- A roll-on/roll-off berth for ferries.
It also has warehouses and equipment to handle dry goods, minerals, ores, wood products, and general cargo.
Ferry Services
There is a special terminal for roll-on/roll-off ferries in the western part of the docks.
- Between 1987 and 2006, a company called Swansea Cork Ferries ran a regular ferry service for people and cars to Ringaskiddy in County Cork, Ireland.
- This service stopped in 2007. Many people wanted it back because it was important for Swansea and parts of Ireland.
- In 2009, a new group called Fastnet Line bought a ship called MV Julia to restart the service. Sailings began on March 10, 2010.
- However, the service stopped again in November 2011. This was partly because fuel costs became too high.
Nearby Places
- Maritime Quarter
- Swansea city centre
- St Thomas
- Port Tennant
- Crymlyn Burrows
- Jersey Marine beach
- Swansea Beach
Images for kids
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Entrance to Swansea harbour, Glamorganshire, 1830
