Port of London

The Port of London stretches along the River Thames from Teddington Lock eastwards to the North Sea boundary marked by a line from Foulness Point in Essex to Warden Point in Kent. Its waters and docks lie partly in Essex, partly in Kent and Greater London. Once the largest port in the world, it remains the United Kingdom’s biggest port. The port’s long history began with Roman traders who built the first harbour walls and wharves near London Bridge. By the 18th and 19th centuries it handled 60,000 ships a year with 1,500 cranes along eleven miles of riverfront. The enclosed docks of the 19th century, including West India, East India and Royal Victoria, were built by private companies to improve security and capacity. Visitors today see the wide river lined with docks and cranes, and the PLA’s Trinity Square Gardens office built in 1919. The docks handle cruise ships, ferries and cargo, while the riverbank offers long views eastwards towards the sea. Along the Essex shore, the port’s working landscape meets open marshes beyond Foulness Point.