The port of southampton is a major passenger and cargo port located in the city of Southampton, in Hampshire. It carries the majority of the countries cruise passengers and is operated by Associated British Ports. Its natural deep-water harbour and unique double tide allow unrestricted access for the world’s largest vessels.

Southampton Port has four cruise terminals:

• Queen Elizabeth II Terminal
• Mayflower Terminal
• City Terminal Dock
• Ocean Terminal

It is the premier port in the UK for cruise departures. Many cruise ships are based there, including some of the country's largest cruise ships and the entire P&O fleet. In May 2008 the following cruise ships homeported at Southampton:

• P&O Cruises - Arcadia, Artemis, Aurora, Oceana, Oriana, Ventura
• Cunard - Queen Mary 2, MS Queen Victoria, MS Queen ELizabeth (2010)
• Ocean Village - Ocean Village, Ocean Village II
• Royal Caribbean - Independence of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas

HISTORY:

In the 19th century Southampton was a railway and passenger port. Passenger vessels included the RMS Titanic, which departed from Southampton in April 1912. Ships sailed from the inner and outer dock to Le Havre, Cherbourg, St Malo and the Channel Islands for years.

The early 1960s saw a new breed of passengers - those with vehicles. This is when Southampton looked into developing a ferry port. The old Inner dock was filled in and the entrance to the old outer dock (the Princess Alexandra Dock) was widened. This meant the removal of two old berths, No4 and No5. A linkspan was installed on No7 berth and No1 became the sea wall where the lock was. Berth No2 and No3 were rotated round 90 degrees and a new pier was constructed on an east-west axis. Dry dock number 1 was filled in. Although the time that Southampton operated as a ferry port was short lived, it is now the UKs largest importer of cars and the car reception areas now fill the eastern docks.