harbour X port

[katerina.pata]

Dear teachers
please, can you explain the difference between the following words:
harbour and port.
Thank you very much. KP

 

[Barb_D]

A port has built structures in it to make it easier for ships to berth, unload and load cargo, debark and embark passengers etc.

A harbor refers to the geographical nature of a protected area (usually) with water deep enough to accommodate ships.

You can have a natural harbor. You can't have a natural port.

 

[katerina.pata]

Thanks a lot Barb_D!

 

[BobK]

A port has built structures in it to make it easier for ships to berth, unload and load cargo, debark and embark passengers etc.

A harbor refers to the geographical nature of a protected area (usually) with water deep enough to accommodate ships.

You can have a natural harbor. You can't have a natural port.

:up: (But of course people tend to build ports where the conditions are suitable. France has Le Havre and Portugal has O Porto; and I don't imagine the people who first named them were too concerned at the amount of construction work involved!)

b

PS Maybe this calls for more research. Perhaps O Porto does have less going for it (in terms of natural 'harbour-like-ness') than Le Havre. Hmm...