Source: adapted from National Geospatial-intelligence Agency (2005) World Port Index, Eighteenth Edition.

Number of Large and Medium Ports by Channel Depth

The number of large ports that can accommodate a post-Panamax containership is seriously limited, since these ships require a channel depth of about 40 feet. This figure only considers port access channel depth as docking depth may limit the number of piers that can accommodate a deep draft vessel within a port. Once the 45 feet threshold is exceeded, the number of ports that can accommodate such a draft falls dramatically. The building of larger containerships, namely the post-Panamax plus class (draft of about 45 feet), thus has limitations in terms of ports that could be serviced.

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