The shipping platform

Location: Eastern seaboard port of Portsmouth NH stands on the S bank of the Piscataqua River, approx 3nm upstream from its mouth. General overview: There is an outer harbour in the entrance to the Piscataqua River, where anchorages for deep draught vessels are situated, along with a number of anchorages for smaller vessels and a few minor jetties. The commercial inner harbour is upstream of Memorial Highway Bridge (43°04.8'N 70°45.2'W). The majority of the berths lie on the S bank of the river, above the second and third bridges, which cross the river 0.5nm and 1nm, respectively, above the Memorial Highway Bridge. There are two dredged turning basins in this stretch of the river. The port has facilities for containerised, dry and liquid bulk and general cargo. The port also has a liquefied gas terminal and a Navy shipyard. Traffic figures: Approx 4,800,000t of cargo and 350 vessels handled annually. Load line zone: Summer Zone for ships over 100m in length and Winter Seasonal Area for ships of 100m or less in length, Winter Nov 1 to Mar 31, Summer Apr 1 to Oct 31. Max size: Tankers up to LOA 213m, draught 10.7m, approx 45,000DWT. Max airdraught under Interstate 1-95 Bridge is 40.8m.