Morehead City is Carteret County's other sound-side mainland seaport situated on the opposite bank of the Newport River from Beaufort. True to its maritime history, the city is home to several marine-research facilities such as the Institute of Marine Sciences and the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries. It is also home to the Ferry Division of the North Carolina Department of Transportation. A 2006 real estate survey has estimated the population of Morehead City, North Carolina at 9,293.