The first dock at Methil (the Number 1 Dock) opened in May 1887 and in 1889 the North British Railway Company took ownership of the dock. A further dock was then constructed on the site of the tidal harbour in 1900, followed by the much larger Number 3 Dock in 1913. The Number 3 Dock boasted an impressive entrance channel and sea wall along the front of the previous docks, and was a huge feat of engineering undertaking at the time. The third dock was intended to be able to accommodate at least eight hydraulic coal hoists - but only six were ever built.
The port of Methil was once responsible for shipping over three million tonnes of coal every year, and coal has been a major influence on the character and prosperity of this town over the years. From the end of the First World War until the No. 3 Dock was closed down by the Forth Ports Authority in 1977 and coal exports were diverted to Leith, Methil was considered to be Scotland's most important coal port.
During the 1960s, however, the closure of the nearby collieries hit the dock hard. Nowadays there are two working docks available at Leith, which can accommodate vessels up to 3,000 dwt. Leith now specialises in wood pulp and timber distribution, and these two commodities total around 150,000 tonnes a year. The port also handles stone and coal exports, fertiliser imports, and road salt for Fife Council during the winter months.
Methil’s strategic location and range of specialist services should also serve the area well in years to come, as the port is perfectly placed to be able to serve the emerging renewable energy sector.
