The Admiralty repeatedly reassessed dock capacity, and the 1902 Bermuda dock received scheduled upgrades. Built by Swan Hunter at Wallsend as a 545-by-99-foot steel structure without its own engines, it was described at launch as the world's largest floating structure. It began with a design lift around 11,700 tons and reached roughly 17,500 tons after sections were added. In 1944 alone, it docked 142 ships for wartime repair work. Moved to Montevideo in 1946 and broken up around 1989, it served for decades beyond its original Bermuda assignment.
Notable Point · 32:54-35:44
Bermuda's dock became a long-lived workhorse
Added sections increased the 1902 dock's lift, while its wartime workload and later Montevideo service demonstrate the value of sustained infrastructure investment.