[6] In the early years of the 19th century, the amount of cargo passing through the docks steadily increased.

[10] The growing importance of Runcorn was recognised on 5 April 1847 when it was designated as an independent customs port.

Its boundary extended on both sides of the Mersey, from Warrington Bridge in the east to a point on a line stretching from Eastham church in Cheshire to Chapel Farm House in Lancashire.

In the same year, the Bridgewater Trustees opened Alfred Dock, which was fitted with hydraulic cranes.

[19] In order to deal with the increased trade, the Bridgewater Trustees began to build a new dock in 1867 and to remove obstructions from the river.

The other major materials passing through the port were raw cotton, potter's clay, salt, coal and soap.

[25] When the Duke of Bridgewater died in 1803, he left his coal mining and canal businesses to be run by a Trust.

This was equipped with hydraulic cranes and served by high level tramways and railway sidings.

[28] There were no further large scale developments at the port until the Tollemache Dock was opened at Weston Point in 1885.

The canal was completed from Eastham to Weston Point by 1892, and in July of that year a temporary port called Saltport was established at the mouth of the River Weaver.

[34] In order to allow direct access to the Port of Runcorn and the Weaver Navigation, four locks were built.

[36] To the east of the Bridgewater Dock, the ship canal passes under Runcorn Railway Bridge which has a clearance of 75 feet (23 m) above the high water mark of the Mersey.

[39] From the opening of the ship canal there was a temporary improvement in trade for the Runcorn docks but a decline set in from the turn of the century.

The Runcorn and Weston Canal was filled in to provide additional quay space for modern docks and the old warehouses were demolished.

With the construction of the Silver Jubilee Bridge in 1961, communications to the docks were improved and trade began to recover.

[43] Runcorn Docks is owned by the Manchester Ship Canal Company which is part of the Peel Ports Group.

It has pipelines handling chemical and other liquid cargoes connecting to adjacent storage facilities and to the Ineos Chlor network.