South Dock Marina

Greenland Dock was built on rural land in 1695 as a repair base for the East India Company ships. 

From 1720 until the end of the 19th century, the dock was extensively used by whaling ships involved in Greenland whaling operations. Greenland Dock was enlarged at the start of the 20th century to its current size.

South Dock was built between 1807 and 1811. In 1865, several docks companies in Rotherhithe merged to form the Surrey Commercial Docks Company and the name was changed to South Dock.

Both docks suffered extensive bomb damage during the Second World War, and although this was repaired after the war, commercial use of the docks slowly declined. 

By the early 1970s, with container shipping taking over the bulk of cargo movements, the docks ceased to operate as the larger ships could not come upriver, and the Tilbury docks took over the trade. In the early 1970s, the docks finally closed as a commercial operation after 270 years of service.

Southwark Council then took over the docks. During the 1980s and 1990s, the London Docks Development Company redeveloped the docks to create a mix of housing, light industrial, and commercial use. Many of the old docks were filled in and reclaimed for building purposes.

However, South Dock and Greenland Dock were turned into South Dock Marina. Some of the legacy of the original Howland Great Dock lives on now in the boatyard, where regular repairs, maintenance, and refits take place. In its early days, the docks provided a haven for vessels plying their trade worldwide, and today the marina provides a haven for both its resident boats and boats that have sailed the world.