Wharf
A Wharf is a level structure built along the waterfront, parallel to the shore, where ships berth to load and discharge cargo or embark passengers. It provides the working surface, mooring points and often the apron on which cranes and cargo-handling equipment run.
Wharf, quay and pier are closely related: a quay is generally a solid structure parallel to the shore, a wharf is a similar alongside structure sometimes built on piles, and a pier or jetty projects out into the water. The charge for using a wharf is wharfage.
The wharf is where sea meets land and where port productivity is won or lost. Its length, depth alongside, load-bearing apron and crane rails determine which ships can berth and how fast they can be worked, so wharf capacity is a defining constraint on any terminal.
What is the difference between a wharf and a quay?
Both are alongside berthing structures parallel to the shore. In common use they are near-synonyms; a quay tends to be a solid masonry or concrete wall, while a wharf may be built on piles with an open structure beneath.