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The twentieth century witnessed extraordinary changes in the port of London. Until the late 1950s, trade continued to grow and the docks expanded to cope with larger and larger ships. London, and especially docklands, was a target during both world wars but the port was able to recover despite serious bomb damage. By the 1960s, however, London faced increased competition from other ports as patterns of trade shifted. Huge container vessels replaced older ships and London’s docks could no longer adapt. By 1981 they had all closed. At the same time, much of the industry that had grown up along the Thames also declined, leaving large areas of docklands derelict. The region has since been transformed and regenerated by new office, housing and transport developments.
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