PORT ECONOMICS 
CHAPTER 1 
PORTS AND HARBOURS 
THE student of Port Economics will advisedly, at the 
outset, make himself acquainted with the purview of his 
studies; and, as the subject is one which comprises several 
branches of traffic administration and operation, we will 
devote this opening chapter to an explanation of some 
general principles, which will be considered in greater 
detail, as occasion requires, at a later stage. 
PORTS 
In the first place, let us consider the word Port, its 
meaning and its implications. In root form (Latin porta, 
a gate), signifying an entrance, it is essentially a gateway 
to the land from the sea, and also, none the less truly, a 
gateway to the sea from the land. Briefly stated, it is 
the point of change from land carriage to sea carriage, 
and vice versa. Ships bring passengers and goods from 
overseas and discharge them within the precincts of a 
port for conveyance to inland destinations, and, con- 
trariwise, passengers and goods from towns and inland 
centres are assembled on the quays of a port for the purpose 
of going on board ship. This dual operation of loading 
and discharging, of embarkation and disembarkation, 
involves two important characteristics in a port, without 
which its functions cannot be satisfactorily performed. 
These characteristics are Shelter and Accommodation. 
Shelter is an obvious requirement. In an exposed and 
unprotected situation on the sea coast, there are many 
days in the year when it would be impossible to load or