Hi, I am a history student from ULPGC (Canary Islands) and I am very interested on ports' history, everything refer to that. I am searching ports' history in general or specifically one port (e.g. Port of Hamburg or Copenhagen).
I want to know more about ports, society, its life on it and around, economy, what suppose to the territory (or country) that port... If anyone can share me some books about it, I will be thankful.
Edit: sorry I forget write it on the post. If it is possible, my bigger wish is find any resource or book related with the ports' developing on the Contemporary period (I am study history on Canary Island, and this period refer generally to 1789-1945~; in United Kingdom the contemporary history began on the beginning of the XX century if I am not wrong, right? Correct me please if I am wrong).
Regards
This is of course a broad question, as a port's history is going to intersect with several different subfields of history (urban history, economic history, maritime history, etc.). One recent book that seemingly fits your bill is Mary Lindemann's The Merchant Republics: Amsterdam, Antwerp, and Hamburg, 1648-1790 which is a comparative history of three early modern port cities.
It's not exactly what you were looking for but I was researching dredging of the panama canal awhile back. The Panama Canal Record contains a huge amount of information regarding the building of the canal. The technology and engineering used in the Canal came from contemporary work on ports around the world. After it was built the engineering, technology and even much of the equipment used to build it spread to ports around the world. It gives a good background for marine engineering and construction (port building and maintenance) from about 1890-1930.