Between 1847 and 1897 various additions and improvements to piers, quays and harbour approaches were carried out, including the construction of the Granville Dock and the building of the Admiralty and Prince of Wales Piers. In the year 1898, the Government decided to make Dover a Naval base and commenced the construction of the outer Harbour, comprising the Southern Breakwater, the Eastern Arm and Dockyard (now known as the Eastern Docks) and the Admiralty Pier extension. The work, which was completed in 1909, involved the construction of three miles of deep sea masonry, and the building of this harbour has always been regarded as a great achievement in marine engineering.

In 1923-1929 this new harbour and ancilliary works were transferred by the Government to the Dover Harbour Board for commercial use, after the closing of the Naval base.

Southern Breakwater, this breakwater rises 75 feet from the sea bottom, and is 45 feet wide. It is formed of massive blocks of concrete some weighing 40 tons, over 60,000 of which were used in construction.

The Eastern Arm is 2,800 feet in length, has deep water berths and used to provides the berths where Kent coal exports were handled from, fuelling facilities were also available.

The Camber, which was formerly used as a submarine basin, comprised an area of 25 acres of water. Here were situated the oil storage installations and facilities for handling cargo and cross-channel car traffic. In the adjacent land area, warehouses and industrial sites are provided.

The Admiralty Pier, which protects the harbour from the west, is 4,000 feet long. Cross-Channel passenger, car ferry and cargo services used to operate from here to France and Belgium. Immediately alongside the pier is the Marine Station (British Transport Commission) which provided ample accommodation for handling the large number of passengers passing through the Port.

The Train Ferry Dock, which was adjacent to the Admiralty Pier, was built between the years 1933 and 1936 on land leased by the Harbour Board, and was the property of the British Transport Commission. Connection was made from rail to ship by means of a link span whereby a train of twelve sleeping-coaches or 40 wagons could be accommodated on the train deck. The passenger who boards the train at London was not disturbed until his arrival in Paris the following morning.

The Wellington Dock is the oldest and largest of the docks in Dover, having 8 acres of water with depths of 14 feet at Spring tides and 10 feet at Neap tides. The width of the entrance is 70 feet and at the south-eastern end there is a patent slipway for the repair of craft. Apart from commercial use it is a popular dock for yachtsmen.

The Granville Dock is more modern in construction and has more water than the Wellington Dock, though it consists of only just under 5 acres of water. At Spring tides the depths are 20 feet and at Neap tides 17 feet. Electrically controlled dock gates were installed in 1946.
The Tidal Basin forms the entrance to the Inner Harbour, and has two working berths. There were facilities for the rapid discharge of coal and stone cargoes from vessels of up to 14 feet draft, this basin partly dries up at low water.

The Prince of Wales Pier separates the Inner and Outer Harbours, it is 2,900 feet long and has 1,700 feet berthing