port of call

American  

noun

1. a port visited briefly by a ship, usually to take on or discharge passengers and cargo or to undergo repairs.

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port of call British  

noun

1. any port where a ship stops, excluding its home port

2. any place visited on a traveller's itinerary

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Etymology

Origin of port of call

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

port of call

That is why addressing nutrient pollution at source is the first point of action in tackling the problem, and why the big contributors – farming and water treatment – are the first port of call.

From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026

Its final port of call before reaching Acapulco was Colima.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 2026

The rerouting around Africa adds time and cost, as the trip is 10 to 15 days longer than through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, depending on the final port of call in Europe.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 13, 2026

On the other hand Austria has historically opposed atomic power and Spain remains a strong advocate of renewables as the first port of call for greener power supplies.

From Barron's ● Mar. 10, 2026

Sister Fenella was his first port of call, and as the rain flung itself against the window, they sat at the kitchen table and kneaded some dough for the priory’s bread.

From "The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage" by Philip Pullman