Fyrirhöfn

Fyrirhöfn is an Icelandic nautical term meaning the outer harbour or front harbour. It refers to the part of a harbour that lies toward the open sea beyond the main breakwater, in contrast with the inner harbour where most mooring and cargo handling typically occur. The term is used in harbor planning, nautical charts, and routine maritime communication to distinguish the exposed approach area from the sheltered inner basin, often called innhöfn.

Etymology and usage: The word combines fyrir, meaning in front of or before, with höfn, meaning harbour. In practice, the fyrirhöfn describes the portion of the port that is more exposed to wind, waves, and currents, and that provides the initial access for ships entering or leaving the harbour. It may include quays, anchorages, or pilot boarding areas, depending on the specific layout of a port.

Characteristics: An outer harbour is typically more affected by sea conditions than the inner harbour, requiring consideration of weather windows, tidal states, and vessel size when planning berthing or loading operations. Depths, dredging requirements, and navigational channels are often established to ensure safe passage from the open sea to the harbour entrance and onward to the inner zones.

See also: innhöfn, harbor terminology. The concept of a front or outer harbour is common to port design in Iceland and other Nordic regions, reflecting a functional separation between open-sea access and sheltered harbour operations.