Book excerpt: Is the U.S. marine terminal on the verge of becoming a bottleneck rather than a funnel for world general cargo commerce? This volume, prepared at the request of the U.S. Maritime Administration, appraises issues pertinent to the productivity of these marine terminals, addressing such topics as the state of the art of technology and engineering design in general cargo terminals; the comparison of technology and design with that of other countries; the interrelationship of port and terminal practices; and the implications of port and terminal costs, practices, engineering design, and use of technology.