Cardiff Port (port code: GBCDF) is the main port for Wales. It is located on the north side of the Bristol Channel, on the River Taff estuary, about 240 kilometers west of London.
The port is capable of accommodating large vessels and is equipped with modern tanker, cargo and container handling appliances. It offers 12.3 hectares of open storage, and an independent terminal operator offers an additional 10.6 hectares. It contains a specialized state-of-the-art distribution terminal that offers 8000 pallet spaces and drive-in racking, and a container terminal that serves traffic to and from the Mediterranean and Ireland.
The port handles a wide range of general and project cargoes and has berths for heavy roll-on/roll-off and heavy-lift project cargoes. Through continued diversification it is equipped to handle a wide range of cargoes such as fruit, vegetables, timber, coal, grain, petroleum, chemicals, iron, steel and containers. It includes storage and handling facilities for a variety of liquid bulk cargoes as well, including a petrol- and diesel-distribution center and a distribution terminal for fuel-oil imports. It handles approximately 2 million tons of cargo and 9,000TEU annually.
The types of vessels regularly calling at this port are general cargo vessels, accounting for about 30%; sailing vessels, taking up around 25%; and pleasure craft, taking a proportion of 19%. The maximum length of the vessels recorded to having entered this port is 165 meters. The maximum draught is 8.7 meters. The maximum deadweight is 20,635t.