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 1. Home
 2. Facts
 3. Why do ships use "port" and "starboard"

Why do ships use "port" and "starboard" instead of "left" and "right?
"

Unlike left and right, "port" and "starboard" refer to fixed
locations on a vessel.

image of port side of NOAA Ship Fairweather

Port side of NOAA Ship Fairweather.

Since port and starboard never change, they are unambiguous
references that are independent of a mariner's orientation, and,
thus, mariners use these nautical terms instead of left and right to
avoid confusion. When looking forward, toward the bow of a ship, port
and starboard refer to the left and right sides, respectively.

In the early days of boating, before ships had rudders on their
centerlines, boats were controlled using a steering oar. Most sailors
were right handed, so the steering oar was placed over or through the
right side of the stern. Sailors began calling the right side the
steering side, which soon became "starboard" by combining two Old
English words: steor (meaning "steer") and bord (meaning "the side of
a boat").

As the size of boats grew, so did the steering oar, making it much
easier to tie a boat up to a dock on the side opposite the oar. This
side became known as larboard, or "the loading side." Over time,
larboard--too easily confused with starboard--was replaced with port.
After all, this was the side that faced the port, allowing supplies
to be ported aboard by porters.

More Information

NOAA's Marine Operations

NOAA Ship Fairweather

NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer, "America's Ship for Ocean Exploration"

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Last updated:

01/20/23

Author: NOAA

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