The port side of a ship is the left-hand side of the vessel when facing the bow (front) of the boat. The term "port" refers to the side of the ship that faces the port, where boats would dock at ports and the name has stuck ever since. The term "starboard" refers to the right-hand side of the ship when facing the bow. These nautical terms are standardized across the globe and are used by sailors and harbor masters to avoid confusion. The reason why ships use "port" and "starboard" instead of "left" and "right" is that port and starboard never change, and they are unambiguous references that are independent of a mariners orientation.