Editing Port (section)

==Modern ports==
[[File:HP L4329.JPG|thumb|right|An [[Evergreen Marine Corporation|Evergreen]] ship loading at [[Container Terminal Altenwerder]], port of [[Hamburg, Germany]]]]
Whereas early ports tended to be just simple harbours, modern ports tend to be [[Multimodal transport|multimodal]] distribution [[Food hubs|hubs]], with transport links using sea, river, canal, road, rail and air routes. Successful ports are located to optimize access to an active [[hinterland]], such as the [[London Gateway]]. Ideally, a port will grant [[Navigability|easy navigation]] to ships, and will give shelter from wind and waves. Ports are often on estuaries, where the water may be shallow and may need regular [[dredging]]. Deep water ports such as [[Milford Haven Waterway|Milford Haven]] are less common, but can handle larger ships with a greater draft, such as [[Tanker (ship)|super tankers]], [[Panamax|Post-Panamax vessels]] and large [[container ship]]s. Other businesses such as [[Food hubs|regional distribution centre]]s, warehouses and freight-forwarders, [[canneries]] and other processing facilities find it advantageous to be located within a port or nearby. Modern ports will have specialised [[cargo]]-handling equipment, such as [[Crane (machine)|gantry cranes]], [[reach stacker]]s and [[forklift trucks]]. 

Ports usually have specialised functions: some tend to cater mainly for [[passenger ferries]] and [[cruise ship]]s; some specialise in [[Intermodal container|container]] traffic or general cargo; and some ports play an important military role for their nation's navy. Some third world countries and small islands such as [[Ascension Island|Ascension]] and [[St Helena]] still have limited port facilities, so that ships must anchor off while their cargo and passengers are taken ashore by [[barge]] or [[Launch (boat)|launch]] (respectively).

In modern times, ports survive or decline, depending on current economic trends. In the UK, both the ports of [[Port of Liverpool|Liverpool]] and [[Port of Southampton|Southampton]] were once significant in the transatlantic passenger liner business. Once airliner traffic decimated that trade, both ports diversified to container cargo and cruise ships. Up until the 1950s the [[Port of London]] was a major international port on the [[River Thames]], but changes in shipping and the use of containers and larger ships have led to its decline. [[Thamesport]],<ref>{{cite web |work=[[London Thamesport]] |url=http://www.londonthamesport.co.uk |title=Welcome |access-date=6 September 2018}}</ref> a small semi-automated container port (with links to the [[Port of Felixstowe]], the UK's largest container port) thrived for some years, but has been hit hard by competition from the emergent London Gateway port and logistics hub.

In mainland Europe, it is normal for ports to be publicly owned, so that, for instance, the ports of [[Port of Rotterdam|Rotterdam]] and [[Port of Amsterdam|Amsterdam]] are owned partly by the state and partly by the cities themselves.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-06-15|title=Organisation|url=https://www.portofrotterdam.com/en/port-authority/about-the-port-authority/organisation/organisation|access-date=2020-10-07|website=Port of Rotterdam|language=en-US}}</ref>

Even though modern ships tend to have bow-thrusters and stern-thrusters,{{cn|date=March 2021}} many port authorities still require vessels to use [[Maritime pilot|pilot]]s and [[tugboat]]s for manoeuvering large ships in tight quarters. For instance, ships approaching the Belgian [[port of Antwerp]], an inland port on the [[River Scheldt]], are obliged to use Dutch pilots when navigating on that part of the estuary that belongs to the Netherlands.

Ports with international traffic have [[customs]] facilities.