Port Definition | Apparel Search

A port is a facility at the edge of an ocean, river or lake where ships are received and cargo and passengers are transferred between ship and shore. A seaport handles ocean-going vessels, a river port handles river traffic, and an inland port on a lake or river also has access to the ocean. Ports provide deep water in channels and berths, protection from wind, waves and storm surges, and equipment such as large cranes for loading and unloading containers, often operated by stevedores. Pilots and tugboats help maneuver ships safely in tight quarters. Refrigerated storage, container terminals and processing facilities are commonly found nearby. Because cargo can be sealed in containers at its origin, moved by ship, rail and truck, and opened only at its destination, ports are central to just-in-time retail delivery. For the clothing trade, major container ports are the entry points where imported garments, footwear and textiles arrive before distribution to warehouses and stores across the country.

A port is a facility at the edge of an ocean, river, or lake for receiving ships and transferring cargo and persons to them. Ports have specially-designed equipment to help in the loading and unloading of these vessels. Cranes and refrigerated storage may be provided by private interests or public bodies. Often, canneries or other processing facilities will be located very close by. Ports tend to be divided into container terminals.

The term seaport is used for ports that handle ocean-going vessels, and river port is used for facilities that handle river traffic. Sometimes a port on a lake or river also has access to the ocean, and is then referred to as an inland port. A fishing port is a type of port or harbor facility particularly suitable for landing and distributing fish. 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. While the term airport is derived from port, such places are never referred to as ports, except when international airports (as well as some land border crossings) are referred to as ports of entry.

The presence of deep water in channels or berths, the provision of protection from the wind, waves and storm surges and access to intermodal transportation such as trains or trucks are critical to the functioning of seaports and river ports.

Cargo containers allow for efficient transport and distribution as each product, box and bulk cargo do not need to be loaded individually at each transportation point, making the loading and unloading process more efficient. Cargo can be sealed at point of origin, transported via intermodal transport, before being stacked and loaded on container ships. These are then ultimately opened at final point of resale or destination. This is a vital part of modern retailing Just in Time Delivery strategies.

Seaports and river ports are often equipped with large cranes for the loading and unloading of containers from container ships. These are usually operated by stevedores. Pilots and tugboats are also used to safely maneuver the ships in tight quarters.

A Few Examples of Major ports

Port of Busan
Port of Chiba
Port of Dubai
Port of Hamburg
Port of Hong Kong
Port of Houston
Port of Kaohsiung
Port Klang
Port of Long Beach
Port of Los Angeles
Port of New York/new Jersey
Port of Rotterdam
Port of Shanghai
Port of Shenzhen
Port of Singapore
Port of South Louisiana
Port of Vigo

Less Than Truckload (LTL)

The above article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/seaport). 12/27/05

How a Container Port Works

When a container ship arrives, a pilot who knows the local channels guides it toward its berth, with tugboats pushing and pulling it into position. Large cranes then lift containers off the ship and place them on trucks, rail cars or stacking areas in the terminal. Each container stays sealed, so individual boxes inside do not need to be handled at the port at all. That simple change is what makes modern container handling so efficient: the unit that moves is the container itself, not every carton of shirts, shoes or fabric inside it. Containers are sorted by destination, held briefly in the terminal, and then sent onward by intermodal transport. Imported apparel may travel from the port to a regional distribution center the same week it lands.

Types of Ports and Port Facilities

Ports are divided into specialized areas for different kinds of traffic. Container terminals handle boxed manufactured goods, bulk terminals handle loose cargo such as grain or ore, and fishing ports are designed for landing and distributing fish. Many ports also offer refrigerated storage for perishable goods, warehousing, and nearby processing facilities. A port of entry is a place, including certain international airports and land border crossings, where people and goods are officially admitted to a country. The busiest container ports include Shanghai, Singapore, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Hong Kong, Busan, Dubai, Houston, Los Angeles and Long Beach, and the Port of New York and New Jersey. For fashion businesses, the choice of port affects transit time, freight cost and how quickly seasonal clothing reaches stores, so importers watch port capacity, congestion and rail connections closely when planning shipments.

Ports, Customs and Onward Delivery

Arrival at a port is not the end of a shipment. Imported cargo must be documented, inspected when selected, and cleared through customs before it can leave the terminal, and duties and port charges must be settled. Containers are then collected by truck or loaded onto rail for the inland leg of the journey. Export cargo moves in the opposite direction: containers arrive by road or rail, are checked in at the terminal, stacked in the correct order for the vessel, and loaded before departure. Port delays at either end, from congestion, equipment shortages, weather or paperwork errors, ripple through delivery schedules. That is why apparel importers track vessels and containers in transit, confirm that documents match the cargo exactly, and keep a buffer between the expected arrival date and the date goods are promised to stores. A well-run port, with deep berths, modern cranes and fast rail and road connections, shortens that whole process and lowers the cost of every imported garment passing through it.

Common Questions

What is the difference between a seaport and a river port?

A seaport handles ocean-going vessels, while a river port handles river traffic. A port on a lake or river that also has access to the ocean is called an inland port.

What is a dry port?

A dry port is a yard used to place containers or conventional bulk cargo, usually connected to a seaport by rail or road, so containers can be handled away from the waterfront.

Why do ports matter for clothing imports?

Most imported garments arrive by container ship. Ports provide the cranes, container terminals, refrigerated storage and rail and truck links that move apparel from ship to warehouse and store.

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