Port and Harbor Design

Abstract

A harbor is defined as a haven, and in the context of this handbook, it is a body of water that provides shelter to vessels. A harbor can be natural or artificial, situated along the shore with water deep enough for anchoring a ship in an area that provides protection from wind, waves and currents. When Henry Hudson arrived in the new world in 1609, he discovered what would become New York, and the success of New York can be traced to its excellent natural harbor. Many of today great seaports are located at natural harbors that have been developed into world-class port facilities. This handbook will deal exclusively with artificial harbors and the port facilities they protect.

Ports can be defined as a city, town, or place where ships are moored, loaded, or unloaded. They typically reside within a harbor and are made up of one or more individual terminals that handle a particular cargo including passengers, bulk cargo, or containerized cargo. This chapter in the handbook will define the various types of marine terminals and the structures that can be found in a port.

This chapter provides the coastal and ocean engineer an understanding of the types of port and harbor facilities that they may be involved in, including the individual structures that make up these facilities and the loads imposed on them. It is intended to provide an overview of these structures, so that the coastal and ocean engineers can better provide the design support to the marine structural engineers in the planning and designing of such facilities.