Naval base

A naval base or naval base is a military property or a port where a Marine or parts of such are located.

Function

Naval bases are special ports that serve as bases and anchorage for warships. In contrast to commercial ports are they military cordoned off areas and do not have places for the exchange of goods such as container terminals or large warehouses. However, they usually have barracks, workshops, training facilities, and Docks. Many naval bases are also protected by special defenses.

For the organization of daily operation, the naval base commands are responsible. For use tugs and oil collection vessels are kept.

History

The Athenians built the island of Chios, 412 BCE from a commercial and naval base. Other residents on the Mediterranean peoples or tribes did not do so a naval power on parts of the Mediterranean. The Roman Navy possessed in antiquity special naval bases in Ravenna, Naples and Aquileia or Corsica. When the Roman Empire was bigger, it looked the Carthaginians no longer as a trading partner, but more than competing maritime power. There were three Punic Wars ( 264-146 BC ) for naval supremacy in the western Mediterranean; it ended with the destruction of Carthage.

In the Middle Ages, Venice was the largest naval base with 300 warships.

With the development of fast sailing ships and the discovery of America in 1492, most major maritime nations began the construction of navies.