A vessel's home port is the port at which it is based, which may not be the same as its port of registry shown on its registration documents and lettered on the

stern The stern is the back or aft-most part of a ship or boat, technically defined as the area built up over the sternpost, extending upwards from the counter rail to the taffrail. The stern lies opposite the bow, the foremost part of a ship. O ...

of the ship's hull. In the cruise industry the term "home port" is also often used in reference to the port in which a ship will take on / change over the majority of its passengers while taking on stores, supplies and fuel.

Navy

In a

navy A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the military branch, branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral z ...

, a ship's ''home port'' is the port best suited to provide maintenance and restock weaponry particular to ships of that class and build. On conclusion of a

tour of duty For military personnel, a tour of duty is usually a period of time spent in combat or in a hostile environment. In an army, for instance, soldiers on active duty serve 24 hours a day, seven days a week for the length of their service commitment. ...

, a

combat vessel A naval ship (or naval vessel) is a military ship (or sometimes boat, depending on classification) that is used by a navy. Naval ships are differentiated from civilian ships by construction and purpose. Generally, naval ships are damage resili ...

returning to port will usually return to its ''home port''. A single home port also makes it easier for family to visit sailors on leave.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Home Port Ports and harbours Law of the sea Nautical terminology

Navy

See also

References