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of Its enormous cargo capacity. Improved off-loading technology and 

 larger warehouses will be necessary to handle the increased tonnage, 

 and it would be Inefficient to develop a whole network of these faci- 

 lities, some of which might lie Idle part of the time. Furthermore, 

 many smaller ports probably could not generate enough demand to warrant 

 development of suDer shin capabilities. 



The expansion of land transportation can be exDected to Darallel 

 port development in the future as it has 1n the oast. Pipeline cons- 

 truction will develoD concurrently with oil production—probably at 

 a rapid rate since the demand for natural gas and oetroleum products 

 is expected to triple over the next thirty years. The future of rail 

 transport is difficult to assess, not so much because of demand fac- 

 tors but because the roads (particularly in the East) are undergoing 

 a period of administrative restructuring and a consolidation of service. 



The Houston-Gal v eston Bay complex demonstrates how a good harbor can 

 encourage the growth and development of an area and begin a demand 

 spiral that leads to more intensive utilization of the harbor and the 

 development of other transport facilities. The Port of Houston is now 

 the third largest U.S. seaDort in terms of total tonnage moved. In 

 1963, approximately one-third of Houston's economy was linked to the 

 ship channel, the port and the resultant industry. Total investment 

 flowing from the Dort facilities and related industries exceeded $2.5 

 billion that year. The dredging of the Houston Ship Channel and the 

 development of cargo facilities has thus been of major conseguence in 

 the development of this area. 



