Edinburgh's Leith Docks 1970-1980: The Transition Years

Leith has been Edinburgh's main port since the Middle Ages. It is one of the oldest harbours in the country, dating back to the 11th century. Modern Leith Docks took shape in the 19th century with the construction of stone quays and breakwaters. The number of ships it handled declined rapidly in the latter part of the 20th century. Today, it is the largest enclosed deep-water port in Scotland. The port, was transformed in 1969 when a large state of the art sea lock was installed, transforming the tidal harbour into a deepwater docks. Its fortunes were further boosted with the discovery of oil in the southern North Sea. There were further ships involved in the construction of the vast undersea pipeline network. Other examples transported heavy equipment to the Orkney and Shetland Islands where the search for oil was just beginning. Cruise ships also began to call at Leith in the 1970s and this has now become one of its main activities.