Construction on Dortmund's port which terminates the Dortmund-Ems Canal connecting Dortmund to the North Sea started in 1895. It was opened 1899 by Kaiser Wilhelm. At the beginning of the 20th century it was mainly used for the import and export of wheat, coal and ore. The port was expanded in the 1920s and 1930s by adding new docks as well as on the administrative infrastructure (Dortmunder Hafenamt).