Harbours:

Types of Harbours

There are two types of harbours, viz :

(a) Natural harbour, which is protected from storms and waves by the natural configuration of the land and water.

(b) Artificial harbour, where artificial engineering structures like breakwaters are needed for protecting the vessels from storms and waves.

Cochin and Mumbai ports are good examples of a natural harbour, whereas Chennai is an example of an artificial harbour.

Figures 1 and 2 give configurations of a natural harbour and an artificial harbour, respectively.

Figure 1 : Natural Harbour

Figure 2 : Artificial Harbour