Volume Two - The Era of Optimism, Investment & Development - Investment in efficient coaling facilities at the dock . . .

Advances and investment in mechanisation continued at Penarth and the other South Wales ports throughout the period. The older fixed coal tips were progressively a limitation to the speed at which ships could be loaded since only one berth was conceived for loading utilising two tips simultaneously. The requirement was to optimise turnaround time and load ships using two or four high capacity tips simultaneously. The position of the tips should also ideally be variable to cater for different lengths of ship, differing hatch locations and to provide assistance to the trimmers by distributing the increasing tonnages of coal at more convenient locations to minimise secondary manual handling operations. The only solution for the docks to remain competitive with Barry and Cardiff was new investment in moveable coal tips.

	The Engineer [015] [016] reported upon progress at the dock on 26th July 1901:-

The Progress of Penarth Dock. Dock development is proceeding apace on either side of the Bristol Channel. There is to be a new system of Bristol docks at Avonmouth; a new dock has been opened at Barry; and Newport and Swansea have been proposing additions, which would mean an expenditure of £1,500,000, or £2,000,000 between them. The increasing coal traffic, irrespective of the coal tax, seems to justify the enterprises which the local companies are venturing on . . There has been the impression that the Penarth Dock and Harbour has been the neglected child, and a costly one, of the Taff Vale directorate. To show this idea is contrary to the facts, he sets out the coal shipments (in tons) for the past five years as follows. The figures speak for themselves:-