Main Difference
The main difference between Port and Harbor is that the Port is a place on a coast or harbor where ships can land and Harbor is a place where ships may shelter.
-
Port
A port is a maritime commercial facility which may comprise one or more wharves where ships may dock to load and discharge passengers and cargo. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, some ports, such as Hamburg, Manchester and Duluth, are many miles inland, with access from the sea via river or canal.
Today, by far the greatest growth in port development is in Asia, the continent with some of the world’s largest and busiest ports, such as Singapore and the Chinese ports of Shanghai and Ningbo-Zhoushan.
-
Harbor
A harbor or harbour (see spelling differences; synonyms: wharves, haven) is a body of water where ships, boats, and barges seek shelter from stormy weather, or are stored for future use. The term harbor, referring primarily to a sheltered body of water, is often used interchangeably with port, which is a man-made facility built for loading and unloading vessels and dropping off and picking up passengers. Ports usually include one or more harbors. Alexandria Port is an example of a port with two harbors.
Harbors may be natural or artificial. An artificial harbor can have deliberately constructed breakwaters, sea walls, or jettys or they can be constructed by dredging, which requires maintenance by further periodic dredging. An example of an artificial harbor is Long Beach Harbor, California, United States which was an array of salt marshes and tidal flats too shallow for modern merchant ships before it was first dredged in the early 20th century. In contrast, a natural harbor is surrounded on several sides by prominences of land. Examples of natural harbors include Sydney Harbour, Australia and Trincomalee Harbour in Sri Lanka.
-
Port (noun)
A place on the coast at which ships can shelter, or dock to load and unload cargo or passengers.
-
Port (noun)
A town or city containing such a place, a port city.
-
Port (noun)
The left-hand side of a vessel, including aircraft, when one is facing the front. Port does not change based on the orientation of the person aboard the craft.
-
Port (noun)
An entryway or gate.
-
Port (noun)
An opening or doorway in the side of a ship, especially for boarding or loading; an embrasure through which a cannon may be discharged; a porthole.
-
Port (noun)
A space between two stones wide enough for a delivered stone or bowl to pass through.
-
Port (noun)
An opening where a connection (such as a pipe) is made.
-
Port (noun)
A logical or physical construct in and from which data are transferred. Computer port (hardware)
-
Port (noun)
A female connector of an electronic device, into which a cable’s male connector can be inserted.
-
Port (noun)
Something used to carry a thing, especially a frame for wicks in candle-making.
-
Port (noun)
The manner in which a person carries himself; bearing; deportment; carriage. See also portance.
-
Port (noun)
The position of a weapon when ported; a rifle position executed by throwing the weapon diagonally across the front of the body, with the right hand grasping the small of the stock and the barrel sloping upward and crossing the point of the left shoulder.
-
Port (noun)
A modified, or recoded so that it works on a different platform from the one for which it was created; the act of this adapting.
“Gamers can’t wait until a port of the title is released on the new system.”
“The latest port of the database software is the worst since we made the changeover.”
-
Port (noun)
A set of files used to build and install a binary executable file from the source code of an application.
-
Port (noun)
A type of very sweet fortified wine, mostly dark red, traditionally made in Portugal.
-
Port (noun)
A suitcase, particularly a schoolbag.
-
Port (adjective)
Of or relating to port, the left-hand side of a vessel.
“on the port side”
-
Port (verb)
To turn or put to the left or larboard side of a ship; said of the helm.
“Port your helm!”
-
Port (verb)
To carry, bear, or transport. See porter.
-
Port (verb)
To hold or carry (a weapon) with both hands so that it lays diagonally across the front of the body, with the barrel or similar part near the left shoulder and the right hand grasping the small of the stock; or, to throw (the weapon) into this position on command.
“Port arms!”
-
Port (verb)
To adapt, modify, or create a new version of, a program so that it works on a different platform. Porting (computing)
-
Port (verb)
To carry or transfer an existing telephone number from one telephone service provider to another.
-
Port (verb)
To transfer a voucher or subsidy from one jurisdiction to another.
-
Harbor (noun)
Shelter, refuge.
-
Harbor (noun)
Any place of shelter.
“The neighborhood is a well-known harbor for petty thieves.”
-
Harbor (noun)
A house of the zodiac, or the mansion of a heavenly body.
-
Harbor (noun)
A sheltered expanse of water, adjacent to land, in which ships may dock or anchor, especially for loading and unloading.
“A harbor, even if it is a little harbor, is a good thing, since adventurers come into it as well as go out, and the life in it grows strong, because it takes something from the world, and has something to give in return – Sarah Orne Jewett”
-
Harbor (noun)
A mixing box for materials in glass-working.
-
Harbor (verb)
To provide a harbor or safe place for.
“The docks, which once harbored tall ships, now harbor only petty thieves.”
-
Harbor (verb)
To take refuge or shelter in a protected expanse of water.
“The fleet harbored in the south.”
-
Harbor (verb)
To hold or persistently entertain in one’s thoughts or mind.
“She harbors a conviction that her husband has a secret, criminal past.”
-
Port (noun)
a town or city with a harbour or access to navigable water where ships load or unload
“the French port of Toulon”
“Port Elizabeth”
-
Port (noun)
a harbour
“Belfast’s port facilities”
-
Port (noun)
a strong, sweet dark red (occasionally brown or white) fortified wine, originally from Portugal, typically drunk as a dessert wine
“tawny ports do not need decanting”
“they settled down to a final glass of port”
-
Port (noun)
the side of a ship or aircraft that is on the left when one is facing forward
“the ferry was listing to port”
“the port side of the aircraft”
-
Port (noun)
an opening in the side of a ship for boarding or loading.
-
Port (noun)
a porthole
“the cabin has rectangular ports set just below sheer in each quarter”
-
Port (noun)
an opening in the body of an aircraft or in a wall or armoured vehicle through which a gun may be fired; a gun port.
-
Port (noun)
an opening for the passage of steam, liquid, or gas
“loss of fuel from the exhaust port”
-
Port (noun)
a socket in a computer network into which a device can be plugged
“a communications port for optional cellular and other wireless modules”
-
Port (noun)
a gate or gateway, especially into a walled city.
-
Port (noun)
the position required by an order to port a weapon
“Parker had his rifle at the port”
-
Port (noun)
a person’s carriage or bearing
“she has the proud port of a princess”
-
Port (noun)
a transfer of software from one system or machine to another
“the first port of a commercial database to this operating system”
-
Port (noun)
a suitcase or travelling bag
“she packed her ports and walked out”
-
Port (verb)
turn (a ship or its helm) to port
“the yacht immediately raised all sail and ported her helm”
-
Port (verb)
transfer (software) from one system or machine to another
“the software can be ported to practically any platform”
-
Port (verb)
carry or convey
“we ported the milk cans from the plentiful water supply of the gym”
-
Port (verb)
carry (a rifle or other weapon) diagonally across and close to the body with the barrel or blade near the left shoulder
“Detail! For inspection—port arms!”