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Maritime & Shipping vocabulary · Ports & Port Calls

Harbour master

Meaning in maritime & shipping, with examples

nounCommon term

In maritime & shipping, harbour master means: The official responsible for the safety, order and traffic of a port, including berthing rules, anchorages and permission for ships to enter and leave.

In Turkish: liman başkanı, liman başkanlığı

How it is used

Written 'harbor master' in American English. The harbour master's office gives instructions to ships and issues port clearance before departure.

Example sentences

  1. The harbour master closed the port because of strong winds.

  2. We need permission from the harbour master to shift berth.

Common collocations

  • harbour master's office
  • port clearance
  • harbour master's permission
  • port regulations
  • portA town or place on the coast with facilities where ships load and discharge cargo, take on passengers and receive services such as fuel, water and repairs.
  • port state controlThe inspection of foreign ships in a country's ports to check that they meet international rules on safety, pollution prevention, crew certificates and working conditions.
  • pilotAn experienced local mariner who boards a ship to advise the master on navigating safely into or out of a port, a canal or a narrow waterway.
  • anchorageAn area of water, usually marked on charts, where ships are allowed to anchor while they wait for a berth, a pilot, orders or better weather.

More terms: Ports & Port Calls

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