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A port is a facility for receiving ships and transferring cargo. They are usually found at the edge of an ocean, sea, river, or lake. Ports often have cargo-handling equipment such as cranes (operated by longshoremen) and forklifts for use in loading/unloading of ships, which may be provided by private interests or public bodies. Often, canneries or other processing facilities will be located near by. Harbour pilots and tugboats are often used to maneuver large ships in tight quarters as they approach and leave the docks. Ports which handle international traffic have customs facilities.

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 UK, London, on the River Thames, and Manchester, on the Manchester Ship Canal, were once important international ports, but changes in shipping methods, such as the use of containers and larger ships, put them at a disadvantage.

Port types

The terms "port" and "seaport" are used for ports that handle ocean-going vessels, and river port is 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 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.

A warm water port is a port where the water does not freeze in winter. Because they are available year-round, warm water ports can be of great geopolitical or economic interest, with the ports of Saint Petersburg and Valdez being notable examples.

A port of call is an intermediate stop, for example to collect supplies or fuel.

Water port topics

• Bandar (Persian word for "port" or "haven")
• Dock (maritime)
• Harbour
• Marina - port for recreational boating
• Port operator
• Ship transport