Extracted from British History Online: -
Rowhedge Sand and Ballast Co. Ltd., founded in 1932, was taken over in 1946 by F. A. Hunnable and Sons of Braintree who reduced production of ballast but increased the output of concrete blocks. A quay 100 m. long was built c. 1960. The firm was taken over by Consolidated Goldfields in 1968 and run by the Rowhedge Wharfland Warehouse Co. which developed a 92-a. site on the river south of Rowhedge village. The quay was extended to 150 m. c. 1970, and the warehouse business expanded after the takeover of Rowhedge Wharf by Newgrain and the Colchester Dock Transit Co. in 1972. By 1973-4 as much as 15.4 per cent of the trade of Colchester port went through Rowhedge, which could handle larger ships than the Hythe. In 1986 Rowhedge could take ships with a draught of up to 4.3 m. at spring tides and up to 3.4 m. at neap tides; the turning space at Roman River accommodated ships up to 76 m. long. The port was bought in 1988 by Associated British Ports Holdings plc, and despite local opposition the length of the quays and area of the warehouses were further increased.