Gibraltar's principal docks were already important Royal Navy assets before number one and number two were extended in 1937. Number one had been built to hold about 100,000 tons of water, while number two and number three were rated at roughly 60,000 and 50,000 tons. The extension programme aimed to receive newer aircraft carriers and larger battleships, and the longest dock could accommodate HMS Hood. At 272 metres, however, it remains too short for a modern Queen Elizabeth-class carrier and leaves too little working clearance. Supporting those ships at Gibraltar would require another substantial extension.
Chapter · 52:02-55:42
Gibraltar's enlarged docks still limit modern carriers
The 1937 enlargement made Gibraltar useful for interwar capital ships, but its 272-metre maximum remains too short for a Queen Elizabeth-class carrier.