The North dock, enclosing an area of 11.5ha, was opened in 1875 and the South, eventually enclosing 38.9ha, was fully completed in 1914, and between them provided extensive coal-exporting facilities, with the great lock providing direct to the open sea. Both are still in use, handling mixed inward and outward cargoes.

A bronze mounted obelisk (nprn 414117) in memory of 34 workers killed on 2 July 1909 when the walls of the new entrance lock collapsed, stands in St Woollos Cemetery (nprn 402984).
B.A.Malaws, RCAHMW, 14 October 2008.