A barn big enough to accommodate 120 double decker buses stacked two high has been described as a vote of confidence in Norfolk's economy.
The giant timber shed has been built at the Port of King's Lynn after timber imports almost doubled year-on-year.
Lockdown has sparked a boom in DIY over the last 18months, with demand soaring for everything from sheds and shelves to decking. The construction industry has also seen significant increases in demand during the pandemic.
The new £1.4m storage facility is part of a £2m package of quayside investments in Lynn by operator Associated British Ports (ABP), which also include three acres of new hardstanding and a new access system.
At an official opening ceremony on Monday Andrew Harston, ABP's director for Wales and short sea ports said the timber trade had increased by 85pc this year compared to 2020.
"Within two weeks it will be full to the brim," he said. "It's an important facility not only for the port but for the town and wider economy.
"We hope it will strengthen King's Lynn's links in the timber trade going forward.
"We've invested £10m in King's Lynn over the last 10 years. This continues that investment in Lynn to make it a fit for purpose modern port.
North West Norfolk MP James Wild cut the ribbon to open the facility, which has been named after the 18th century navigator Capt George Vancouver, who came from Lynn.
"This investment of £1.4m is a significant vote of confidence in Norfolk and the local economy ," he said.
The port supports more than 5,000 jobs in the local economy, ranging from farm workers, hauliers and maltings staff who grow, haul or process barley grown in north Norfolk, to builders, roofers and landscapers who use timber imported from Scandinavia and the Baltic.
Port manager Kim Kennedy said the facility handled 500,000 tonnes of cargo a year.
This year some 216 cubic km of timber has come through Lynn - an 85pc increase in 2020. Its main customers include Swedish timber producer SETRA, which makes structural wood products, and DIY giant B&Q.
Mrs Kennedy said three acres of land at the site had been resurfaced to further increase storage space.
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