A port authority (less commonly a port district) is a governmental or quasi-governmental

public authority A public-benefit nonprofit corporationnonprofit A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity orga ...

for a

special-purpose district Special districts (also known as special service districts, special district governments, or limited purpose entities) are independent, special-purpose governmental units that exist separately from local governments such as county, municipal, and ...

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 Hamburg, Manch ...

s and other transportation infrastructure. In Canada, the federal Minister of Transport 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 (plurale tantum, plural form for singular and plural) are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch, President (government title), president or other head of state, generally granti ...

''. Numerous

Caribbean The Caribbean ( , ; ; ; ) is a region in the middle of the Americas centered around the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, mostly overlapping with the West Indies. Bordered by North America to the north, Central America ...

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, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

, 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 of plants) is the practice of applying controlled amounts of water to land to help grow crops, landscape plants, and lawns. Irrigation has been a key aspect of agriculture for over 5,000 years and has bee ...

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 is ultimately responsible for his patronage of Canadian port authorities, a useful map of which is electronically available at

Transport Canada Transport Canada () is the Ministry (government department), department within the Government of Canada responsible for developing regulations, Policy, policies and Public services, services of road, rail, marine and air Transport in Canada, tra ...

Port authorities

With date of Letters Patent.

Other agencies

* St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation * Canada Ports Corporation

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 (Canada), Minister of Transport. It was in operation from 1936 to 1983. History The idea of a system of national ports ...

United States

Charter date in parentheses.

Mexico

Listed from northwest to southeast. API stands for ''Administración Portuaria Integral'' (Integral Port Administration).

Caribbean

* Port Authority of Jamaica, Jamaica * Barbados Port Authority, Barbados * Grand Bahama Port Authority, The Bahamas *

Puerto Rico Ports Authority The Puerto Rico Ports Authority (PRPA) (; AP) is a government-owned corporation of Puerto Rico charged with developing, operating, and overseeing all seaports and airports in Puerto Rico. The Authority is ascribed to the Department of Transpor ...

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 * General Organization of Sea Ports, Bahrain * Saudi Ports Authority, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Asia Pacific

* Bintulu Port Authority * Busan Port Authority * Gwadar Port Authority * Indonesia Port Corporations * Port of Kitakyūshū * Port of Niihama * Port of Shanghai *

Port of Singapore The Port of Singapore is the collection of facilities and container terminal, terminals that conduct maritime trade and handle Singapore's harbours and shipping. It has been ranked as the top maritime capital of the world, since 2015. Currently ...

* Port Qasim Authority * Sri Lanka Ports Authority *

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, Sydney's heritage and cultural precincts at ...

Taiwan International Ports Corporation The Taiwan International Ports Corporation (TIPC; ) is a state-owned shipping company in Taiwan that operates ports in Taiwan. History Under the ''Taiwan International Ports Corporation, Ltd. Establishment Act'', the company was founded on March ...

Europe

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 *

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 ...

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 *