Legal Definitions - home port

Definition: The port that a vessel is registered or where its owner resides.

Examples:

• A ship registered in Miami has a home port of Miami.
• The owner of a yacht lives in San Francisco, so the yacht's home port is San Francisco.

These examples illustrate that a home port is the place where a ship is registered or where its owner resides. It is important for ships to have a home port because it determines their legal jurisdiction and where they pay taxes and fees.