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Port of Liverpool

Series of docks on the River Mersey, Liverpool, England

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Through UNESCO

The Port of Liverpool is a major port on the River Mersey in Liverpool, England, extending from Brunswick Dock in Liverpool to Seaforth Dock in Seaforth, and including the Birkenhead Docks on the western side of the estuary.

Liverpool developed into one of the principal ports of the British Empire during the 18th and 19th centuries and became a major centre of transatlantic trade, migration, and passenger shipping. Liverpool's Old Dock, opened in 1715, was the world's first enclosed commercial dock. By the early 20th century, Liverpool had become one of the world's leading transatlantic passenger ports.

Following the decline of imperial and passenger shipping in the 20th century, the port was redeveloped as a modern freight and container port. It remains one of the United Kingdom's largest ports, handling container, bulk, and cruise traffic. The opening of Liverpool2 in 2016 enabled the port to accommodate Post-Panamax container vessels. Parts of the historic dock system formed the Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City World Heritage Site from 2004 until its delisting by UNESCO in 2021.

History

1715–1899

Liverpool's first dock was the world's first enclosed commercial dock, the Old Dock, built in 1715. The Lyver Pool, a tidal inlet in the narrows of the estuary, which is now largely under the Liverpool One shopping centre, was converted into the enclosed dock. Further docks were added and eventually all were interconnected by lock gates, extending 7.5 miles (12.1 km) along the Liverpool bank of the River Mersey. From 1830 onwards, most of the building stone was granite from Kirkmabreck near Creetown, Scotland.

The interconnected dock system was the most advanced port system in the world. The docks enabled ship movements within the dock system 24 hours a day, isolated from the high River Mersey tides.

From 1885, the dock system was the hub of a hydraulic power network that stretched beyond the docks. Both White Star Line and Cunard Line were based at the port. It was also the home port of many great ships, including RMS Baltic, RMS Olympic, RMS Mauretania, RMS Aquitania and the ill-starred Tayleur, MV Derbyshire, HMHS Britannic, RMS Lusitania, and the RMS Titanic.

20th century

Most of the smaller south end docks were closed in 1971 with Brunswick Dock remaining until closure in 1975.

The largest dock on the dock network, Seaforth Dock, was opened in 1972 and deals with grain and containers, accommodating what were the largest containers ships at that time.

In 1972, Canadian Pacific unit CP Ships was the last transatlantic line to operate from Liverpool.

Many docks have been filled in to create land for buildings: at the Pier Head, an arena at Kings Dock, commercial estates at Toxteth and Harrington Docks and housing at Herculaneum Dock. In the north, some branch docks have been filled in to create land. Sandon and Wellington Docks have been filled in and are now the location of a sewage works. Most of Hornby Dock was filled in to allow Gladstone Dock's coal terminal to expand.

Liverpool Freeport Zone was opened in the North Docks 1984, expanding to include some of the Birkenhead Dock system in 1992. The Euro Rail terminal was established at Seaforth Dock in 1994 and the port expanded five years later, including construction of the Liverpool Intermodal Freeport Terminal.

21st century

In 2004, UNESCO announced Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City. Parts of the port were a World Heritage Site from 2004 until 2021.

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