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Gladstone docks

Gladstone Dock
GladstoneDocks-June2009.jpg
An overview of Gladstone Dock in June 2009
Location
Location Bootle, Liverpool, United Kingdom
Coordinates 53°27′18″N 3°01′08″W / 53.4549°N 3.0189°W / 53.4549; -3.0189Coordinates: 53°27′18″N 3°01′08″W / 53.4549°N 3.0189°W / 53.4549; -3.0189
OS grid SJ323958
Details
Owner The Peel Group
Operator Mersey Docks and Harbour Company
Opened 1927
Type Wet dock
Purpose Cargo transfer
Joins
Entries 3
Gates 3 pairs
Area 58 acres (23 ha) (as built)
Width at entrance 130 ft (40 m)
Quay length 3 mi (4.8 km)
Cargo type
Transport links

Gladstone Dock is a dock on the River Mersey, England, and part of the Port of Liverpool. It is situated in the northern dock system in Bootle. The dock is connected to Seaforth Dock to the north and what remains of Hornby Dock to the south. Part of Liverpool Freeport, Gladstone Dock is operated by the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company.

The dock is named after Robert Gladstone, a merchant from Liverpool and second cousin of Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone. Designed in the first decade of the twentieth century, construction was eventually completed in 1927 and consisted of 3 mi (4.8 km) of quays and extensive warehouse space.

The graving dock was completed in 1913, before the rest of the dock became operational. At 1,050 ft (320 m) long and 120 ft (37 m) wide it was designed to take the largest trans-Atlantic steamers. The graving dock has since been converted into a wet dock (Gladstone Number Three Branch Dock).

Gladstone Dock lock entrance is one of the two remaining operational river entrances in the northern dock system. Measuring 1,070 ft (330 m) long,130 ft (40 m) wide and 42 ft (13 m) deep; was wider, longer and deeper than the Panama Canal locks. The Panama Canal and Gladstone locks could accommodate a maximum size of container ship of 4,500-5,000 twenty-foot-equivalent units (TEUs). The lock provided maritime access to the container terminal of Royal Seaforth Dock, which opened in 1972.

However the widened Panama Canal locks will be 1,400 ft (430 m) long, 140 ft (43 m) wide and 60 ft (18 m) deep, accommodating vessels with capacities of up to 14,000 TEUs, depending on the vessel design. Container ships unable to enter the Gladstone lock will need to use the adjacent in-river Liverpool2 terminal.


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