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 H ...

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 a ...

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''. 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

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 Transporta ...

Port authorities

With date of Letters Patent.

Other agencies

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 ...

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

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

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 * Barbados Port Authority, Barbados *

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

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 ...

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 *

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

* Bintulu Port Authority *

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 *

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 por ...

* Port of Kitakyūshū * Port of Niihama *

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 ...

* Port of Singapore *

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 administr ...

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 ...

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 ...

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: *

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 nort ...

* Port of London Authority

References

External links

General Organization of Sea Port – Bahrain

Washington Ports - What is a port district?

International Association of Ports and Harbors

American Association of Port Authorities
{{Ports and harbors *