A
portis a facility for receiving
shipsand/or transferring
cargo. It
is usually found at the edge of an
ocean,
sea,
river, or
lake. The best ports have deep
waterin
channelor
berth, and protection from the
windand
waves.
Harbour pilotand
tugboatsare often used to maneuver large ships in
tight quarters as they approach and leave the
docks. Ports which handle international
traffic also have
customsfacilities.
Access
A prerequisite for a port is a
harborwith
water of sufficient depth to receive ships whose
draftwill allow passage into and out of the
harbor.
Ports sometimes fall out of use.
Rye, East Sussex
was an important English
port in the
Middle Ages, but the coastline changed and it is now from the sea,
while the ports of Ravenspurn
and Dunwich
have been
lost to coastal
erosion.Also in the United Kingdom
, London
, the
River Thames was once an important
international port, but changes in shipping methods, such as the
use of containers and larger ships, put it at a
disadvantage.
Distribution
Ports often have cargo-handling equipment, such as
cranes(operated by
longshoremen) and
forkliftsfor use in loading/unloading of ships,
which may be provided by private interests or public bodies. Often,
canneriesor other processing facilities will
be located nearby. Some ports feature
canals,
which allow ships further movement inland.Access to intermodal
transportation, such as
trainsor
trucks, are critical to a port, so that passengers and
cargo can also move further inland beyond the port area.
Port types
The terms "port" and "
seaport" are used for
different types of port facilities that handle ocean-going vessels,
and
river portis used for river traffic, such as
barges and other shallow-draft vessels. Some ports on a lake,
river, or canal have access to a sea or ocean, and are sometimes
called "
inland ports".
A
fishing portis a type of port or
harborfacility particularly suitable for landing and
distributing
fish. It may be a recreational
facility, but it is usually a commercial one.
Portis a
nautical termthat refers to the left side of a
craft either an airplane or ship.
Starboardis the nautical term that refers to the
right side of a craft.
A "
dry port" is a term sometimes used to
describe a yard used to place containers or conventional bulk
cargo, usually connected to a seaport by rail or road.
A
warm water portis where the water does not
freeze in winter time.
Because they are available year-round, warm
water ports can be of great geopolitical or economic interest, with
the ports of Saint
Petersburg
, Dalian, and Valdez
being
notable examples.
A
seaportis further categorized as a "cruise port"
or a "cargo port". Additionally, "cruise ports" are also known as a
"home port" or a "port of call". The "cargo port" is also further
categorized into a "bulk" or "break bulk port" or as a "container
port".
A
cruise home portis the port where cruise-ship
passengers board (or
embark) to start their
cruise and also
debark(or
disembark) the cruise ship at the end of their
cruise. It is also where the cruise ship's supplies are loaded for
the cruise, which includes everything from fresh water and fuel to
fruits, vegetable, champagne, and any other supplies needed for the
cruise. "Cruise home ports" are a very busy place during the day
the cruise ship is in port, because off-going passengers debark
their baggage and on-coming passengers board the ship in addition
to all the supplies being loaded.
Currently, the Cruise Capital of the
World is the Port of
Miami
, Florida
, closely
followed behind by Port Everglades
, Florida and the Port
of San Juan, Puerto
Rico.
A
port of callis an intermediate stop for a ship
on its sailing itinerary, which may include up to half a dozen
ports. At these ports, a cargo ship may take on supplies or fuel,
as well as unloading and loading cargo. But for a cruise ship, it
is their premier stop where the cruise lines take on passengers to
enjoy their vacation.
Cargo ports, on the other hand, are quite
different to cruise ports, because each handles very different
cargo, which has to be loaded and unloaded by very different
mechanical means. The port may handle one particular type of cargo
or it may handle numerous cargoes, such as grains, liquid fuels,
liquid chemicals, wood, automobiles, etc. Such ports are known as
the "bulk" or "break bulk ports". Those ports that handle
containerized cargo are known as container ports. Most cargo ports
handle all sorts of cargo, but some ports are very specific as to
what cargo they handle. Additionally, the individual cargo ports
are divided into different operating terminals which handle the
different cargoes, and are operated by different companies, also
known as terminal operators or
stevedores.
Ports of the World
North America
The ports of the United States handle more than 2 billion metric
tons of domestic and import/export cargo annually. American ports
are responsible for moving over 99 percent of the country's
overseas cargo.
For details on U.S. Ports, see the
List of ports in the United
States. For details on all North American ports, see the
List of North American
ports.
Asia
For details on East Asian ports, see the
List of East Asian ports.
See also
Water port topics
Other types of ports
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