King George V (KGV) Dock in Glasgow is a significant part of the city's maritime history. It opened in 1931 to accommodate the increasingly large vessels that were using the River Clyde. Named after the reigning monarch at the time, it was designed as a large, single basin with unrestricted entry. While it was initially envisioned as the first of a new series of docks, the economic depression of the 1930s meant that no further development occurred.
Throughout its history, KGV Dock has been a vital point for trade, handling a variety of cargoes, including animal feeds, grains, industrial equipment, and steel. It is the largest dock on the Upper Clyde and, notably, the only one still operational within Glasgow's city boundary.
In recent years, the dock has undergone a significant transformation, moving from traditional cargo to new industries. It has become a key hub for the renewable energy sector, handling components for wind turbines. Since 2005, it has processed components for a large percentage of Scotland's total installed wind capacity.
The dock has also seen other redevelopment projects. In 2022, a world-leading metal recycling company, EMR, opened a new facility for processing and recycling scrap metals and end-of-life vehicles.
