A PHOTOGRAPHIC exhibition honouring the men who built the Great South Lock at the Port of Newport has been opened – a century after the port opened.

The exhibition, at Newport Museum and Art Gallery and commissioned by the Associated British Ports, shows a unique collection of photos taken of the port over the last century, which follows its construction, the two world wars and some modern images of the port in operation.

An animated film made by pupils from Pillgwenlly Primary School about the history of the port also features.

Chris Green, assistant port manager in South Wales, said: “The exhibition is a fitting culmination of our centenary year. The truly fascinating images of the building of the port are fitting testament to the exceptional efforts made by those port workers during the construction.

“It is tribute to their efforts that more than100 years later, we continue to use the facilities that they created on a daily basis, where we now handle a wide variety of cargo including steel, metals, forest product, coal, aggregates and animal feed, while supporting more than 3,000 local jobs and contributing £186million annually into the Welsh economy.”

The exhibition is open Tuesday to Saturday until April 11, 2015, and is a free event.