Barry, Vale of Glamorgan dock basin was opened in 1889 to be followed by two other docks and extensive port installations. The Barry Railway brought coal down from the South Wales Valleys to the new docks whose trade grew from one million tons in the first year, to over nine million tons by 1903. The port was crowded with ships and had flourishing ship repair yards, cold stores, flour mills and an ice factory. By 1913, Barry was the largest coal exporting port in the world. Behind the docks rose the terraced houses of Barry which, with Cadoxton, soon formed a sizeable town. The
Coastal coal-carrying trade of New South Wales initial low payment upon delivery of their coal to a customer but also later received a share of the actual profits from all sales, in proportion to their market share. "Main article: Wollongong Harbour Precinct" Wollongong was for a time the only safe anchorage on the southern coalfields and the third largest port in NSW. The coal port at Wollongong Harbour consisted of the man-made Belmore Basin and the 'Tee Wharf'. On Belmore Basin, there were four coal straithes on the western side of the basin and two steam cranes on the eastern side. Loading at the 'Tee Wharf' was