Port of Arimathea
| Port of Arimathea | |
|---|---|
.jpg) An area of quays and container storage on the Kaedroth's north bank | |
| Location | |
| Country | Arimathea |
| Location | Arimathea Serëforz |
| Details | |
| Owned by | Arimathea Port Authority |
| Size of harbor | 5,130 hectares (12,700 acres) |
| Land area | 5,740 hectares (14,200 acres) |
| Size | 10,870 hectares (26,900 acres) |
| Available berths | 110 |
| CEO | Vaniri Alkron |
| Statistics | |
| Vessel arrivals | 37,598 (2012) |
| Annual cargo tonnage | 677 million (2012) |
| Website www.transit.ar/khala | |
The Port of Arimathea (Trellinese: Khala Arimathëka) is the port serving the City of Arimathea. It is the chief port in the country of Arimathea and the largest seaport in the Trellinese Empire in terms of freight handled. In 2012, the Port of Arimathea handled 677 million tonnes of cargo with 37,598 ship arrivals. The harbour is managed by the Arimathea Port Authority, a subdivision of Transit Arimathea.
Built on the mouth of the Kaedroth, Arimathea's longest river, the port has always had preeminence in national transport links as the capital's chief harbour. It is the chief point of entry for 80% of international sea freight to Arimathea; prior to 2014, when Trellin exited isolation, more than 60% of the empire's foreign trade passed through the Port of Arimathea. The port also handles large volumes of domestic trade, both with ports along the coast and those upriver, the Kaedroth being navigable until roughly 100 kilometres (62 mi) upriver of Vedalkae.
Arimathea is a major industrial centre and has the highest industrial output per capita of any nation or principality within the Trellinese Empire, in addition to being a major agricultural producer. The import of raw materials and export of finished goods throughout Astyria thus makes the Port of Arimathea a hive of activity and one of Teudallum's chief ports. The nation's strong maritime traditions also manifest in the shipbuilding and maintenance industries which are a mainstay of the city's economy concentrated in the port area.
History
The earliest known port at the mouth of the Kaedroth was built 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) northeast along the Great Bay of Arimathea c. 384 BC. This was a trade station operated as an outpost of the Hyseran Empire, although it was abandoned by 377 BC.
Arimathea was founded in 194 BC as Fürzarmad, the capital of an Ethlorek statelet called Harimat. A modest port was contained within the settlement, albeit on the far side from the Great Bay. In about 219 AD, accompanying the unification of the Ethlorek states around the bay, a new port was established on the seaward side. The city maintained strong trade links with other ports across the Sea of Jajich and the southern Mederano Sea, and its port flourished as a hub of trade.
Into the middle ages, Arimathea became the centre of a small empire. The settlement of the Eth Bandig and the establishment of daughter cities in modern-day Berique brought greater wealth to Arimathea, and the port became the home of a fleet of warships which harried the coasts of the Hyseran Empire or other enemies.
Despite its relatively remote position, offset from natural trade routes, Arimathea's economic prominence made it a focus rather than an outpost and it became possibly the chief port on the Sea of Jajich. Periods of isolation in Trellin led to occasional recession in Arimathea, but the Grand Duchy actively maintained its ties with other Teudallic nations to avoid stagnating from overdependence.
Modernisation regimes in the 19th century restored the Port of Arimathea to its position as chief harbour of the empire, a title it had lost following the War of the Velaran Succession which strengthened Trellin's maritime credibility and swelled its empire. Further major injections of state funding were provided throughout the twentieth century to maintain the port's capacity and capability. By the opening of the twenty-first century, the Port of Arimathea was one of Astyria's largest ports.
Facilities
Maintaining adequate cargo port infrastructure at Arimathea is regarded as a necessity for the national government, which has consistently stated this in numerous reports and policy documents. Major investment was placed in expanding the harbour's facilities during and after the Great Astyrian War and again in the 1950s, 1960s and 1990s. In 2015, the Port of Arimathea boasted a total length of quays of 27,500 metres (90,200 ft), with 207 quay cranes to load and offload cargo. A majority of these cranes are mobile and mounted on tracks, with an intricate network allowing efficient prioritisation across the cargo port's 94 distinct berths. 61 of these berths are specifically allocated to container shipping.
In total, the Port of Arimathea covers 10,870 hectares (26,900 acres), of which just over half is on land. The large, sheltered harbour provides safe and spacious anchorage for thousands of watercraft of all sizes. The port also includes over 4,000,000 m2 (400 ha) of warehouses.
Arimathea Port Authority is also responsible for the city's chief passenger port, which offers sixteen cruise ship berths upriver of the cargo port, and the ferry port which provides passenger services along and across the Kaedroth and throughout the Sea of Jajich. Regular ferry services connect the remote Eth Bandig, as well as ports across western Teudallum, to the Arimathean capital. Harbour management, including traffic control and oversight of the lower Kaedroth's numerous marinas, is also under the purview of the port authority.