IV. COASTAL HARBORS 



by 



R. Y. Hudson 



1. Introduction. 



A port consists of a harbor with the necessary marine terminal facil- 

 ities for the mooring of vessels during loading and unloading, and for the 

 storage of goods awaiting transshipment. A harbor is an area of water 

 that is protected from wave action to the extent that vessels are pro- 

 vided safe anchorage and satisfactory mooring, loading, and unloading 

 conditions. Coastal harbors are either natural or artificial. Natural 

 harbors are located in bays or other coastal indentations that provide 

 complete or partial protection from storm wave action. Natural harbors 

 with only partial protection may require the construction of breakwaters 

 for additional protection from wave action. Artificial harbors are created 

 by the construction of breakwaters when the selected location is not pro- 

 tected by natural coastline configurations. Harbors are also classified 

 according to use; e.g., harbors of refuge, military harbors, fish harbors, 

 large commercial harbors which are usually a part of a port complex, and 

 small-craft harbors. Small-craft harbors are either harbors of refuge or 

 marinas (American Society of Civil Engineers, 1969; Dunham and Finn, 1974). 

 Harbors of refuge are usually located on a remote coastal area and are 

 designed especially for boats in distress and for the transient boater. 

 Marinas are small-craft harbors with the required facilities to moor and 

 service recreational boats. Combining the commercial venture and the 

 recreational aspects of small-craft harbors, marinas provide a logical 

 location for the sale, outfitting, repair, and manufacture of pleasure 

 craft . 



Until recently, commercial harbors were located in coastal areas 

 where oceangoing commerce and inland river, rail, or motor transporta- 

 tion systems were adequate and in adequately protected waters with depths 

 to accommodate the number and size of vessels required to service the 

 industry of the hinterland area. For this type of harbor, the functions 

 of the design engineer consisted primarily in (a) the layout of the har- 

 bor facilities to provide vessels entering and leaving the harbor with 

 adequate turning basins and navigation channels, (b) the location and 

 structural design of the necessary piers and wharfs, and (c) the location 

 and structural design of any required breakwaters to ensure adequate pro- 

 tection of moored vessels from wave action. Although the science of har- 

 bor design, especially small-craft harbors (Dunham and Finn, 1974), has 

 progressed rapidly in recent years, the work of the designer has become 

 more complex. The lack of good natural harbor sites and the constantly 

 increasing size and draft of new ships (especially the tanker fleet of 

 private industry) , complicate the selection of a suitable coastal area 

 which provides adequate depths (either natural or dredged) , is near 

 existing trade routes, and is in an area where the existing raw materials 

 and industry can supply interstate and foreign commerce to the extent 

 necessary to support a large harbor-port complex. To locate a site for 



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