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[english-at-enap]

TYPES OF PORTS

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Seaports

A port is defined as a harbor or an area that is able to provide shelter to numerous boats and vessels, and can also allow constant or periodic transaction of shipment. They are usually situated at the edge of an ocean, sea, river, or lake. The port can be a natural establishment or an artificial construction, which provides a place for the loading and unloading of cargo. The terms port and harbour are more or less synonymous: A harbour (US spelling "harbor") is a natural place of security and comfort, a small bay or other sheltered part of an area of water, usually well-protected against high waves and strong currents, and deep enough to provide anchorage for ships and other craft. It is also a place where port facilities are provided, e.g. accommodation for ships and cargo handling facilities. The term port normally includes the harbour and the adjacent town or city suitable for loading goods and embarking men. Ships are accommodated and handled, i.e. loaded and unloaded, at such port structures as wharfs or quays (parallel to the coastline), piers and jetties (perpendicular to the coastline), and sometimes alongside moles or breakwaters. Any place where a ship can safely lie alongside a quay, pier, dolphin or dock, at anchor or a buoy, and where she can carry out loading and discharge operations or embark and disembark passengers is called a berth. Ports can be for large sea-going ships and also for inland waterways such as rivers and lakes. The depth of the ports play a vital role in allowing various types of ships to enter and dock at the port. These days, most of the ports are well-equipped with specialized features such as forklifts and gantry cranes to facilitate movement of cargo, operated by skilled longshoremen or stevedores