The Manchester Ship Canal had a lasting effect on trade at the Runcorn Docks on the River Mersey to the south-east of Liverpool. The Manchester Ship Canal Company (MSCC) bought the Bridgewater Canal Company and all its property including facilities at Runcorn. In 1892 the canal section between Eastham and Weston Mersey Dock at Runcorn had been completed and large ocean-going vessels could get to Runcorn. The MSCC also set up a temporary port at Weston which was known as ‘Saltport’ (this names shows the importance of the salt industry in the area). The full opening of the canal meant that large ships no longer had to rely on the tides to get to Runcorn Docks. This meant that although larger vessels could get to Runcorn, they didn’t stop at the docks and carried onto Manchester.
The opening of the canal led to the decline of the local boatyards and shipbuilding industry which was still concentrating on sailing vessels for use on the coast and in rivers.
Today Runcorn Dock is owned by the Manchester Ship Canal Company and has facilities for coping with bulk goods such as salt. | 
