| New Bedford Harbor is at the mouth of the Acushnet River, which flows south into Buzzards Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. The entrance to the harbor is only nine nautical miles from the beginning of the Cape Cod Canal shipping channel. The Port of New Bedford is a deep-water port with depths of 30 feet. The harbor features a hurricane barrier that stretches across the water from the south end of New Bedford to the Town of Fairhaven. The barrier’s 150-foot opening is closed during hurricane conditions and coastal storms. As a result, the harbor is one of the safest havens on the eastern seaboard. |
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| The port has a history of seafaring traditions that continue today with an active fishing fleet, ferry services, and cruise ship docking. The port is supported by the city’s outstanding, multi-ethnic work force and international distribution services, which include an adjacent airport as well as rail and interstate highway connections. With more than 950 recreational boat slips and approximately 500 moorings, New Bedford Harbor also is an important center for recreational boating. |
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New Bedford Harbor is one of the nation's major fishing ports. The port has ranked first in the U.S. since 2000, based on value of product landed (source: National Marine Fisheries Service). The fishing fleet includes more than 500 vessels operating out of the port. These vessels consist mainly of steel hull construction and are rigged for ground fish and scallops, providing the highest quality seafood products worldwide. The harbor’s seafood processing industry has grown in recent years to become a nationally and internationally recognized industry center.
Across the harbor, shipyards line the Fairhaven waterfront. Marine service and vessel repair industries in Fairhaven have established reputations along the East Coast. Two major shipyards, D.N. Kelley & Son and Fairhaven Shipyard, are known internationally for quality repair on all types of boats. |
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| Support industries include vessel maintenance and repair conducted at dockside or at repair facilities along the New Bedford Waterfront. Equipment and provisions to support the fishing fleet and other commercial and recreational vessels, such as food, ice, fuel, oils, electronics, and other products, also are available at the port. |
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| The Port of New Bedford is the largest breakbulk handler of perishable items in Massachusetts and adjacent states. Commodities brought by refrigerated vessels from around the world primarily include fresh fruit and fish, as well as substantial volumes of frozen fish. The Port has direct Atlantic service from Norway calling at Maritime International Terminal every two weeks to satisfy the needs of Massachusetts fish processors and distributors. With its waterfront warehouse capacity, Maritime International has one of the largest U.S. Department of Agriculture-approved cold treatment centers on the East Coast for the use of restricted imported fruit. The terminal receives approximately 25 vessels a year. Each vessel carries between 1,500 and 4,000 tons of fish or, if carrying fruit, about 2,000 to 3,000 tons of fruit. Port calls vary between one and two days per discharge. |
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| Ferry services are available in the port, including passenger and cargo service to Cuttyhunk Island and passenger service to Martha’s Vineyard. Launch, water taxi, and charter boat services also operate in the port. |
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