Branch dock
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A branch dock is a
Branch docks are terminal branches of a main
The purpose of a branch dock is to increase the
Branch docks first appeared in the 18th century, but their heyday was in the middle of the 19th century when major Victorian port cities such as Liverpool were constructing their dock systems. Complex floating harbours were being built that allowed more ships to enter or leave on each tide. The increased number of ships required more space for loading than a simple rectangular dock
When ships began to increase in size after World War II and cargo began to be handled by either bulk carriers or containers, the need for warehouses at docks was reduced. Many older docks became obsolete and were closed in the 1970s and 1980s. These branch docks were often infilled to create more land within the dock complex; either to provide parking and marshalling space for container trucks, or to build new dock features such as specialist bulk loading facilities or other ancillaries.[note 2]
Notes
- ^ The cost of excavation for a dock is roughly proportional to its volume.
- ^ The infilled Sandon Dock now contains a sewage plant.
References
- ^ "Branch dock". Liverpool Museums. Archived from the original on 2011-07-25.