Cardiff Docks had been developed almost exclusively for the export of coal. With the increased use of oil the output of coal from the South Wales mines declined and Cardiff suffered.
But even by 1936, 97.5% of exports from Cardiff comprises coal, coke and patent fuel. The import trade was relatively small and comprised only about 15% of total trade. At the time the main products were timber for the mines and for construction ; iron ore for the Dowlais works; and grain for milling by the likes of Spillers.
After WW2, first of all palletising and later containerisation of maritime trade influenced the development of ports as larger and larger ships were being built. Cardiff’s docks were too small to take full advantage of this but nevertheless efforts were made to keep trade flowing through the port. New facilities were added and a much wider variety of products were handled including fruit, frozen meat, butter, grain, oil, timber, cars and more.
The port is operated today by Associated British Ports and using Queen Alexandra and Roath Docks handles approx 1.8 million tonnes of cargo every year with a value of over £400m.
