In Canada and the United States, a port authority (less commonly a port district) is a governmental or quasi-governmental
public authority
A public-benefit nonprofit corporation is a type of Nonprofit organization, nonprofit corporation chartered by a state governments of the United States, state government, and organized primarily or exclusively for Institution, social, educational ...
for a
special-purpose district
Special districts (also known as special service districts, special district governments, limited purpose entities, or special-purpose districts) are independent, special-purpose governmental units that exist separately from local governments such ...
usually formed by a legislative body (or bodies) to operate
port
A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ham ...
s and other transportation infrastructure. In Canada, the federal
Minister of Transport
A ministry of transport or transportation is a ministry responsible for transportation within a country. It usually is administered by the ''minister for transport''. The term is also sometimes applied to the departments or other government agen ...
selects the local chief executive board member and the rest of the board is appointed at the recommendation of port users to the federal Minister; while all Canadian port authorities have a federal or Crown charter called ''
Letters Patent
Letters patent ( la, litterae patentes) ( always in the plural) are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch, president or other head of state, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, titl ...
''.
Numerous Caribbean nations have port authorities, including those of Aruba, British Virgin Islands, Bahamas, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Central and South America also have port agencies such as ''autoridad'' and ''consorcio'' (authority and consortium).
In
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
, the federal government created sixteen port administrations in 1994–1995 called ''Administración Portuaria Integral'' (Integral Port Administration) in Spanish, as result of the ''Ley de Puertos'' (Port Law) of 1993. These are organized as variable capital corporations (''
Sociedad Anónima de Capital Variable''), with the intent of creating more private investment in a state owned sector.
Port authorities are usually governed by boards or commissions, which are commonly appointed by governmental chief executives, often from different jurisdictions.
Most port authorities are financially self-supporting. In addition to owning land, setting fees, and sometimes levying taxes, port districts can also operate shipping terminals, airports, railroads, and
irrigation
Irrigation (also referred to as watering) is the practice of applying controlled amounts of water to land to help grow Crop, crops, Landscape plant, landscape plants, and Lawn, lawns. Irrigation has been a key aspect of agriculture for over 5,00 ...
facilities.
Port authorities and districts
The distinction between inland and being marine is occasionally open to discussion. No distinction is made here between river and Great Lakes ports.
Canada
The
Minister of Transport
A ministry of transport or transportation is a ministry responsible for transportation within a country. It usually is administered by the ''minister for transport''. The term is also sometimes applied to the departments or other government agen ...
is ultimately responsible for his patronage of Canadian port authorities, a useful map of which is electronically available at
Transport Canada
Transport Canada (french: Transports Canada) is the department within the Government of Canada responsible for developing regulations, policies and services of road, rail, marine and air transportation in Canada. It is part of the Transportati ...
.
Port authorities
With date of Letters Patent.
Other agencies
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Transport Canada
Transport Canada (french: Transports Canada) is the department within the Government of Canada responsible for developing regulations, policies and services of road, rail, marine and air transportation in Canada. It is part of the Transportati ...
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St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC), formerly known as the St. Lawrence Seaway Authority, is a nonprofit Canadian Corporation established in 1998 by the government of Canada, in partnership with Seaway users and other stakeh ...
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Canada Ports Corporation The Canada Ports Corporation (also known as Ports Canada) was a port corporation which operated across Canada. An Act of Parliament, which had been promoted by Jean-Luc Pépin, founded it on 24 February 1983, and it was marked as a responsibility of ...
Former agency
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National Harbours Board The National Harbours Board was an agency of the Government of Canada, reporting to Parliament through the Minister of Transport. It was in operation from 1936 to 1983.
History
The idea of a system of national ports was mooted as early as 1905, whe ...
United States
Charter date in parenthesis.
Mexico
Listed from northwest to southeast. API stands for ''Administración Portuaria Integral'' (Integral Port Administration).
Caribbean
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Port Authority of Jamaica
The Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ) is an agency of the Ministry of Transport and Mining responsible for the:
* regulation and development of Jamaica's ports and shipping industry
* safety of all vessels navigating the ports of entry
* regulation ...
, Jamaica
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Barbados Port Authority, Barbados
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Grand Bahama Port Authority
The Grand Bahama Port Authority ( GBPA or "Port Authority") is a privately held corporation that also acts as the municipal authority for Freeport, Grand Bahama Island, The Bahamas. The GBPA was created by the Hawksbill Creek Agreement.
The GBP ...
, The Bahamas
Central America
* Autoridad Marítima de Panamá
* Comisión Portuaria Nacional, Guatemala
* Dirección General de Puertos Empresa Nacional Portuaria, Honduras
* JAPDEVA – Atlantic Port Authority, Costa Rica
Middle East
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Israel Port Authority
The Israel Ports Authority (רשות הספנות והנמלים) is the governmental agency which supervises and regulates the operation of Israel's seaports in Haifa, Ashdod and Eilat. It is located in Tel Aviv.
History
The authority was set u ...
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General Organization of Sea Ports
A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.
In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED O ...
, Bahrain
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Saudi Ports Authority
Saudi Ports Authority () is a government agency that supervises the ports of Saudi Arabia. It was founded in 1976 as an independent agency of the Prime Minister's office, to bring together the governance and operations of the multiple ports of t ...
, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Asia Pacific
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Bintulu Port Authority
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Busan Port Authority
The Busan Port Authority is the governing body of the South Korean port of Busan. They are responsible for the maritime and seaport
A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load an ...
*
Gwadar Port Authority
The Gwadar Port ( ur, ) is situated on the Arabian Sea at Gwadar in Balochistan province of Pakistan and is under the administrative control of the Maritime Secretary of Pakistan and operational control of the China Overseas Port Holding Com ...
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Indonesia Port Corporations
PT Pelabuhan Indonesia (Persero), trading as Pelindo, is Indonesian State-owned enterprise Based on one of the world's biggest archipelagos with an extensive history in the world maritime stage, Pelabuhan Indonesia (Pelindo) is a world-class port ...
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Port of Kitakyūshū
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Port of Niihama
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Port of Shanghai
The Port of Shanghai (), located in the vicinity of Shanghai, comprises a deep-sea port and a river port.
The main port enterprise in Shanghai, the Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG), was established during the reconstitution of the S ...
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Port of Singapore
The Port of Singapore refers to the collective facilities and terminals that conduct maritime trade and handles Singapore's harbours and shipping. It has been ranked as the top maritime capital of the world since 2015. Currently the world's se ...
*
Port Qasim Authority
The Port Muhammad Bin Qasim ( ur, ''Bandar-gāh Muhammad bin Qāsim''), or Qasim Port Authority ( ur, ), also known as Port Qasim, is a deep-water seaport in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan, on the coastline of the Arabian Sea under the administra ...
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Sri Lanka Ports Authority
Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) is the state-owned operator of major commercial ports in Sri Lanka. Founded in 1979, SLPA currently operates ports in Colombo, Galle, Hambantota, Kankesanthurai, Oluvil, Point Pedro and Trincomalee
Trincomal ...
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Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority
Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority (SHFA) was a statutory authority that owned and managed some of the Government of New South Wales most significant Sydney harbour foreshore assets, including Sydney's heritage and cultural precincts at The Ro ...
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Taiwan International Ports Corporation
The Taiwan International Ports Corporation (TIPC; ) is a state-owned shipping company in Taiwan that operates ports in Taiwan.
History
The company was founded on Thursday 1 March 2012.
Organizational structure
* Public Affairs Department
* Lega ...
United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom operators of ports and harbours become ''de facto'' port authorities under several pieces of legislation. Examples include the:
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Mersey Docks and Harbour Company
The Mersey Docks and Harbour Company (MDHC), formerly the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board (MDHB), owns and administers the dock facilities of the Port of Liverpool, on the River Mersey, England. These include the operation of the enclosed north ...
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Port of London Authority
The Port of London Authority (PLA) is a self-funding public trust established on 31 March 1909 in accordance with the Port of London Act 1908 to govern the Port of London. Its responsibility extends over the Tideway of the River Thames and its ...
See also
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Airport authority
An airport authority is an independent entity charged with the operation and oversight of an airport or group of airports. These authorities are often governed by a group of airport commissioners, who are appointed to lead the authority by a govern ...
*
American Association of Port Authorities
The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) is a trade association founded in 1912 that represents 150 port authorities in the Western Hemisphere, including the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, and Latin America.
Headquartered in Wa ...
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List of North American ports
Lists of ports cover ports of various types, maritime facilities with one or more wharves where ships may dock to load and discharge passengers and cargo.
Most are on the sea coast or an estuary, but some are many miles inland, with access to th ...
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Trust port
In the United Kingdom, a trust port is a port that is administered as a trust by an independent statutory body set up by an Act of Parliament and governed by its own set of rules and statutes. This is in contrast to a private port, which is priva ...
References
External links
General Organization of Sea Port – BahrainWashington Ports - What is a port district?International Association of Ports and HarborsAmerican Association of Port Authorities
{{Ports and harbors
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