ABSTRACT

An casual waterfront observer observer needs to aware of the intricate but unseen linkages that tie the vessel to the modern urban harbor as securely as the lines that tie its hull to the pier. These linkages are streams of goods and services; services that flow between shore-based establishments and vessels. This chapter considers them as packages of marine services: repair and maintenance services, equipment and supplies, consumable provisions; and business, financial, and information services. A major metropolitan harbor servicing a large and diverse fleet of vessels provide a full competitive range of marine services, whereas a rural port harboring a limited number of vessels may supply only the most rudimentary services. Oceangoing cargo vessels, tugboats, recreational smallcraft, and other floating equipment swell the market demand for similar marine services in a large urban port and the marine service businesses, which developed in response to that market demand, also serve the fishing fleets.