Port planning to minimize risk to hazardous material vessel movement

Trends in recent years in marine transportation and the nature of cargoes handled have placed increasing demands for improved safety and efficiency not only on ships but on the waterways and ports they utilize. Port planning must consider the impact of larger ships, increasing volumes of hazardous cargoes, increasing traffic, increasing industrial and population density, and increased concern for the environment. The problems generally cannot be dealt with on an isolated basis and must be considered within the framework of systematic analysis. Within the marine transportation system, cargo movement (ship movement), cargo transfer, and cargo storage all complement and affect one another. Decisions as to port configuration, site location, vessel traffic, pilotage, surveying and mapping, dredging, aids-to-navigation, tug assistance - all need to be reached on as systematic a basis as is possible. Criteria for and practices in several of the foregoing areas are discussed.