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The World Port Index (PUB 150) contains a tabular listing of thousands of ports throughout the world, describing their location, characteristics, known facilities, and available services. Of particular interest are the applicable volume of Sailing Directions and the number of the harbor chart. The table is arranged geographically, with an alphabetical index.
The selection of these places is based on criteria established by the
Chapter 4: Nautical Publications
- from the online edition of
World Port Index at National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
* https://web.archive.org/web/20070304011545/http://www.nga.mil/portal/site/maritime/?epi_menuItemID=f00695a20370bb625b2a7fbd3227a759&epi_menuID=35ad5b8aabcefa1a0fc133443927a759&epi_baseMenuID=e106a3b5e50edce1fec24fd73927a759 Navigation Hydrography Lists of ports Water transport-related lists
The World Port Index (PUB 150) contains a tabular listing of thousands of ports throughout the world, describing their location, characteristics, known facilities, and available services. Of particular interest are the applicable volume of Sailing Directions and the number of the harbor chart. The table is arranged geographically, with an alphabetical index.
The selection of these places is based on criteria established by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) is a combat support agency within the United States Department of Defense whose primary mission is collecting, analyzing, and distributing geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) in support of national ...
. They are not random choices. The applicable chart
A chart (sometimes known as a graph) is a graphical representation for data visualization, in which "the data is represented by symbols, such as bars in a bar chart, lines in a line chart, or slices in a pie chart". A chart can represent tabu ...
and Sailing Directions is given for each place listed.
In order to present such a large amount of diversified data in a single volume of convenient size, a simple code is used to indicate certain types of information. The code symbols are explained at the top of each page of text.
This book is corrected by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) is a combat support agency within the United States Department of Defense whose primary mission is collecting, analyzing, and distributing geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) in support of national ...
.
Data Availability
In addition to the published text edition of the World Port Index, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency also makes the data available in tabular and spatial formats. This includesMicrosoft Access
Microsoft Access is a database management system (DBMS) from Microsoft that combines the relational Access Database Engine (ACE) with a graphical user interface and software-development tools (not to be confused with the old Microsoft Access w ...
database and Esri Shapefile
The shapefile format is a geospatial vector data format for geographic information system (GIS) software. It is developed and regulated by Esri as a mostly open specification for data interoperability among Esri and other GIS software product ...
formats. Archived publications are also available with past Access databases dating to 2000 and Shapefiles dating to 2010. The data is available from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency's World Port Index webpage.
Sources
The text of this article originated from the preface of the ''World Port Index'' and section 413 of TheAmerican Practical Navigator
''The American Practical Navigator'' (colloquially often referred to as ''Bowditch''), originally written by Nathaniel Bowditch, is an encyclopedia of navigation. It serves as a valuable handbook on oceanography and meteorology, and contains usef ...
. These documents are produced by the government of the United States of America
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...
and in the public domain.
See also
*American Practical Navigator
''The American Practical Navigator'' (colloquially often referred to as ''Bowditch''), originally written by Nathaniel Bowditch, is an encyclopedia of navigation. It serves as a valuable handbook on oceanography and meteorology, and contains usef ...
*Coast Pilots
''United States Coast Pilot'' is a ten-volume American navigation publication distributed yearly by the Office of Coast Survey, a part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Ocean Service. The purpose of the publication ...
*Distances Between Ports
Distances Between Ports (PUB 151) is a publication that lists the distances between major ports. Reciprocal distances between two ports may differ due to the different routes of currents and climatic conditions chosen. To reduce the number of lis ...
*List of Lights
A list of lights is a publication describing lighthouses and other aids to maritime navigation. Most such lists are published by national hydrographic offices. Some nations, including the United Kingdom and the United States, publish lists that ...
*Local Notice to Mariners
A Local Notice to Mariners is an authoritative instruction issued by a designated official, typically the harbormaster.
United States
In the United States, notices are issued by each U.S. Coast Guard District to disseminate important information ...
*Notice to Mariners
A notice to mariners (NTM or NOTMAR,) advises mariners of important matters affecting navigational safety, including new hydrographic information, changes in channels and aids to navigation, and other important data.
Over 60 countries which pr ...
* Sailing Directions
References
{{ReflistExternal links
Chapter 4: Nautical Publications
- from the online edition of
Nathaniel Bowditch
Nathaniel Bowditch (March 26, 1773 – March 16, 1838) was an early American mathematician remembered for his work on ocean navigation. He is often credited as the founder of modern maritime navigation; his book '' The New American Practical Navi ...
's ''American Practical Navigator''
World Port Index at National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
* https://web.archive.org/web/20070304011545/http://www.nga.mil/portal/site/maritime/?epi_menuItemID=f00695a20370bb625b2a7fbd3227a759&epi_menuID=35ad5b8aabcefa1a0fc133443927a759&epi_baseMenuID=e106a3b5e50edce1fec24fd73927a759 Navigation Hydrography Lists of ports Water transport-related lists