FOREIGN SHIPPING TO NORTH VIETNAM DURING SEPTEMER 1968

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78T02095R000800070083-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 21
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 15, 2008
• Sequence Number: 83
• Publication Date: October 1, 1968
• Content Type: IM

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Secret
DIRECTORATE OF
INTELLIGENCE
Intelligence Memorandum
Foreign Shipping to North Vietnam
During September 1968
Secret
ER IM 68-140
October 1968
Copy No.J-
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Foreword
The data in this memorandum are preliminary and
subject to modification as additional information
becomes available. Significant changes may occur
in ship arrivals and cargoes from Communist China
and, to a lesser extent, in cargoes carried by
ships of the Free World. Soviet and Eastern
European ship arrivals and cargoes and Free World
arrivals are not likely to be changed significantly.
To reflect changes in previous reports, a table
showing monthly arrivals, by flag, is included in
this memorandum. Weights of cargoes are expressed
in metric tons. Because of rounding, components
may not add to the totals shown.
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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Directorate of Intelligence
October 1968
Foreign Shipping to North Vietnam
During September 1968
Summary
Heavy rains and storms disrupted port operations
in Haiphong during September, and congestion reached
record levels. The average number of foreign dry
cargo ships in Haiphong per day increased from 28
in August to 34 in September, and the average lay-
over time for departing dry cargo ships increased
from 32 days in August to 41 days in September.
Severe congestion will continue in October, even
though ship arrivals will decrease.
Foreign ship arrivals (37) and seaborne imports
(137,000 tons) were only slightly higher in Septem-
ber than in August, and were well below monthly
averages for January-August. Arrivals of Soviet
and Free World ships both increased (see the chart).
Soviet and Free World ships each carried about
61,000 tons of imports, and together accounted for
almost 90 percent of the cargo delivered. Deliveries
of foodstuffs fell 30 percent from 69,000 tons in
August to 48,000 tons in September, whereas deliveries
of petroleum increased about 160 percent, from 13,000
tons to 33,000 tons. No seaborne imports of arms or
ammunition were detected during September.
In the first nine months of 1968, imports of
both foodstuffs and petroleum exceeded by wide
margins total deliveries for all of 1967. Changes
A Note: This memorandum was produced solely by CIA.
It was prepared by the Office of Economic Research
and information on ship arrivals was coordinated
with the Naval Intelligence Command.
SECRET
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in the level and composition of imports in the
first nine months of 1967 and 1968 are shown in the
following tabulation:
January-September
1967
1968
Percentage
Change
Thousand
Tons
Percent
of Total
Thousand
Tons
Percent
of Total
1968 over
1967
Total imports
1,091
100
13475
100
35
Bulk food
325
30
563
38
73
Fertilizer
137
13
124
8
-9
Petroleum
185
17
288
20
56
Timber
13
1
18
1
38
General and
miscellaneous
431
40
482
33
12
In September, seaborne exports dropped for the
fifth month in a row -- to 25,000 tons, the smallest
volume of exports since November 1967. Exports of
coal dropped to 22,000 tons, only 30 percent of the
peak 1968 volume of 76,000 tons in April.
ShLp4 Waiting 4ot Betth6 in Haiphong, VLvetted to an Anc.ho)age in HaZonp
Bay. (1) Sea4 a e, UK; (2) Pn.o babZe LaunaZ, UK; (3) FFk anf~z ofLd, UK; (4)
Pnobabfe S un an, UK; (5) V.c,nnitba, R (-tfa.h) ; (6 ) nP obabZF Luck
Dta on, Singapon.e; (7) Pnoba e a a6hika, USSR; (8) Pn,obab1e cod
Vne,67 ov5fz , USSR.
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North Vietnam: Foreign-Flag Ship Arrivals
Jan** Feb Mar
1965
Total 44
1966
Total 32
Apr May*** Jun
Jul***
1968
Aug
MONTHLY AVERAGES
ARRIVALS PER MONTH
Sep Oct Nov Dec
*including One Passenger Ship
**Excluding Two Cuban Ships
***Excluding One Cuban Ship
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Situation at the Ports
1. Congestion at Haiphong in September sur-
passed all previous levels. Adverse weather condi-
tions in late August and early September, which
forced a decrease in the cargo discharge rate,
added to the already severe congestion problems at
the port and probably contributed to the increase
in the volume of cargo in open storage near the
wharves which reached its highest level for the year.*
It was also reported that stevedores were in short
supply. A concentration of arrivals of dry cargo
ships in the first two weeks of September increased
the large backlog of ships** and contributed to the
record 38 foreign dry cargo ships in Haiphong on 14
and 15 September. During September the average number
of dry cargo ships in port per day reached a new high
of 34, four more than the previous high in July.
2. The average layover time for dry cargo ships
that departed Haiphong in September was 41 days,***
nine days more than in August and a new high. One
Free World ship departed after spending more than
three months in North Vietnam, and five other ships
departed after stays of two months or longer. Con-
gestion dropped slightly in the last two weeks of
September after the tropical storms subsided, but
will remain at a high level through October.
Arrivals
3. Thirty-seven foreign ships arrived at North
Vietnam in September, three more than in August but
six less than the monthly average for January-August.
Arrivals of Soviet, Chinese Communist, and East
European ships all were below the monthly average
for January-August, and arrivals of Free World ships
were slightly above, as shown in Tables 1 and 2 and
in the following tabulation:
* Tropical storm Wendy, which struck the northern
coast of North Vietnam on 9 September, caused nu-
merous groundings and collisions in Haiphong, as well
as several delayed departures.
** During late September an unusually large number
of ships waiting for berths in Haiphong were diverted
to an anchorage in HaZong Bay, south of Hon Gai. By
5 October, nine ships were anchored in HaZong Bay (see
the photograph. and the map).
*** The previous high was 33 days in August 1967.
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January-August
September August Monthly Average
Total arrivals 37 34 43
Communist countries 23 22 30
USSR 16 12 18
Eastern Europe 1 2 3
Communist China 6 8 9
Cuba 0 0 1
Free World
14 12
4. The 16 Soviet arrivals in September delivered
44 percent of total seaborne imports. The Soviet
arrivals included six small tankers and seven small
dry cargo ships from the Soviet Far East, one dry
cargo ship from Cambodia, and two large-hatch ships
from the Black Sea. The six Chinese ships that
arrived in September all came from South China --
four with bulk food (one had some general cargo) and
two in ballast to load coal. They delivered 9 percent
of seaborne imports. The only Eastern European ship
to arrive at North Vietnam during September delivered
a partial load of bulk food and general and miscella-
neous cargo from Eastern and Western European ports.
The volume of cargo delivered by Eastern European
ships to North Vietnam in September (2 percent of total
seaborne imports) was the lowest since February.
5. All of the 14 Free World arrivals carried
cargo -- a total of 60,700 tons. Eleven were British-
flag ships (ten from North China and one from North
Korea) and the other three (all on voyages from
Eastern Europe) were flying the flags of Cyprus,
Kuwait,* and Singapore. Eight Free World ships
* The arrival of the Maha in September was the first
instance of a Kuwaiti ship entering North Vietnamese
waters since at Least 1964. Kuwaiti Government
officials, alerted in June by US officials of the im-
pending voyage of the Maha to North Vietnam, pointed
out that their government had no diplomatic relations
with either South or North Vietnam, but was willing
to carry on commerce with either or both.
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NORTH VIETNAM: Maritime Ports, Anchorages, and Shipping Channels
o - ong Yen
GULF OF TONKIN
Maritime Port Maritime Anchorage
? Other Port - Shipping Channel
Principal Waterways
A SONG THAI BINH
B CANAL DES BAMBOUS-
LACH TRAY
At Haiphong: 1 - POL Pier
2-Maritime Wharfs
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departed North Vietnam in August -- one carried
coal and seven left in ballast. (For additional
detail on arriving and departing ships, see Tables
3 and 4.)
Cargoes
6. Seaborne imports rose slightly from the
August level to 137,000 tons in September, about
30,000 tons below the monthly average for January-
August 1968. Imports from the USSR increased by
9,200 tons, and those from North Korea rose from
100 tons in August to 7,900 tons in September.
Cargoes from China and Eastern Europe were down by
small amounts. Bulk food deliveries were off nearly
30 percent from the August level, while petroleum
deliveries rose about 160 percent. All import
categories except petroleum were below the monthly
level for January-August 1968, as shown in the fol-
lowing tabulation:
Monthly Average
(Thousand Tons)
1967
Jan-Aug
Aug
Sep
Total imports
118
167
133
137
Bulk food
38
64
69
48
Fertilizer
13
15
5
4
Petroleum
21
32
13
33
Timber
1
2
0
1
General and
miscellaneous
45
54
45
50
7. Bulk food imports fell from 69,200 tons in
August to 48,400 tons in September, the lowest
monthly total since April. The largest share of the
deliveries came from China (30,400 tons) and consisted
of rice, corn, and salt. Deliveries from the USSR
of 14,600 tons were about the same as in August
(14,800 tons), but were well below the January-July
monthly level of 24,700 tons. Imports of bulk foods
from all sources for the first nine months of 1968
exceeded the total delivered during all of 1967 by
more than 100,000 tons.
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8. Seaborne imports of petroleum increased
from a 1968 low of 12,900 tons in August to 33,400
tons in September, slightly above the monthly level
for January-August. Six Soviet tankers and one
Soviet cargo ship delivered 26,400 tons of petroleum
from the USSR, and one British-flag tanker delivered
7,000 tons of petroleum from China. In the first
.nine months of 1968, imports of petroleum were more
than 40,000 tons higher than the total delivered
during all of 1967.
9. The only fertilizer delivered to North
Vietnam in September was a single shipment from
North Korea on a Free World ship. Fertilizer im-
ports averaged only 4,600 tons per month in August
and September compared with 16,400 tons per month
in January-July.* A Soviet ship delivered 1,000
tons of timber from Cambodia, the first delivery of
timber in two months.
10. Imports of general and miscellaneous cargo
increased from 45,400 tons in August to 50,300 tons
in September,** but remained slightly below the
monthly average for January-August. Deliveries
from Communist China continued to increase from the
unusually low total of 2,500 tons in July, climbing
from 12,000 tons in August to.18,700 tons in Septem-
ber. These deliveries included large amounts of
steel, rails, spare parts, textiles, and cement.
Imports of general and miscellaneous cargo from the
USSR fell slightly from 20,500 tons in August to
18,600 tons in September and included barges, tank
cars, tractors, milling machines, forging equipment,
and medicines. Imports from Eastern Europe fell
from 12,000 tons in August to 9,100 tons in Septem-
ber and consisted largely of steel products, machin-
ery and equipment, vehic'1es, tires, and chemicals.
No seaborne imports of arms or ammunition were de-
tected during September.
* A Japanese shipping company was trying to arrange
a charter to de liver 8, 000 tons of fertilizer to
North Vietnam by mid-October.
** The commodity composition of 53 percent of the
general and miscellaneous cargo imported in Septem-
ber has not yet been identified.
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11. Seaborne exports dropped from. 49,700 tons in
August to 24,900 tons in September, 34,600 tons below
the monthly average in January-August and the lowest
total since November 1967. Exports of coal decreased
for the fifth consecutive month and reached 22,300
tons, only 40 percent of the monthly average for
January-August 1968. Loadings at both coal ports
(18,400 tons at Cam Pha and 3,900 tons at Hon Gai)
fell from August totals. All of the coal exports
were delivered to Japan (18,300 tons) and China
(4,100 tons).
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North Vietnam: Foreign-Flag Ship Arrivals
January-September 1967 and 1968
1968
be
-
January-September 1967
r
Septem
January
Total
Total
Arrivals
Percent
Arrivals
Perccnt
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun Jul
Aug
4
8
100.0
X02
100.0
46
40
3
Total
22
266
70-4
245
81.1
Communist countries
66
21
?
41
45
4
R
20
14
20
18
20
20 22
12
16
162
42.9
137
6
.
8
6
USS
Eastern Europe
3
..
3
1
3
7 2
2
1
22
5.8
2
.
1
0
3
Albania
1
1
1
1
2
0.3
0.5
4
.
1.3
Bulgaria
Poland
3
..
3
1
2
5 2
2
1
19
5.0
21
7.0
Communist China
11
7
8
8
10
14
6
78
4
20.6
1.1
81
1
26.8
0.3
Cuba
2
..
..
..
1
12
1
4
112
29.6
a
1-8.
10
8
12
11
18
17
,
Cyprus
1
1
..
..
3
2
3
1
11
1
2.9
0.3
5
2
1.7
0.7
Ital
1
y
Japan
--
..
1
..
1
1
1
0.3
0.3
Kuwait
2
0.5
Lebanon
1
0.3
3
i n
Malta
1
1
4
1.1
Singapore
1
1
..
1
2
0.5
Somalia
4
12
11
88
23.3
47
15'6
United Kingdom
9
7
10
10
1 aJ
1
..
..
1
0:3
..
Illegal flag
a. This ship, the Yvonne; was under Greek registry when it departed for North Vietnam. However; when the Greek government learned
where the Yvonne was going, it rescinded the ship's registry. The ship then unsuccessfully tried to obtain Cypriot registry, and
final.ly arrived in North Vietnam in mid-April illegally flying the Cypriot flag.
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North Vietnam: Tonnage of Foreign-Flag Ship Arrivals J
January-September 1967 and 1968
CID
1968
1967
August
September
January-September
January-September
Type of Ship and Flag
Arrivals
Thousand
Gross
Register
Tons
Arrivals
Thousand
Gross
Register
Tons
Arrivals
Thousand
Gross
Register
Tons
Arrivals
Thousand
Gross
Register
Tons
Total
171.1
7
378
1,854.1
302
1,505.8
Dry cargo
31
161.0
30
133.9
320
1,615.3
270
1
370.4
Tanker
3
10.1
7
25.8
58
238.8
32
,
135.4
22
112.9
23
96.3
266
1,303.8
245
1,226.5
USSR
12
58.5
16
67.8
162
765.5
137
706.2
Eastern Europe
2
18.4
1
6.7
22
167.1
26
204.1
Communist China
8
36.0
6
21.9
78
333.6
81
306.8
Cuba
4
37.6
1
9.5
12
58-2
14
63.4
112
550.2
a. The aggregate tonnage of ships calling does not necessarily reflect the actual volume of cargoes moving into and
out of North Vietnam, but is of value as an indicator of relative changes in the volume of shipping.
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North Vietnam: Origin of Foreign-Flag Ship Arrivals, by Flag
September 1968
Flag
Type of
Vessel
Origin
Port of
Arrival
16
Tanker
USSR (Far East)
Haiphong
Bulk petroleum
6
Dry cargo
USSR (Far East)
Haiphong
Petroleum
1
Dry cargo
USSR (Far East)
Haiphong
Bulk food
4
Dry cargo
USSR (Far East)
Haiphong
Food and general and miscellaneous
1
Dry cargo
USSR (Far East)
Haiphong
General and miscellaneous
1
Dry cargo
USSR (Black Sea)
Haiphong
General and miscellaneous
2
Dry cargo
Cambodia
Haiphong
Timber
1
Eastern Europe
Communist China
Free World
Dry cargo
Dry cargo
Dry cargo
Dry cargo
Eastern and
Western Europe
and Singapore
China
China
China
Haiphong
Haiphong
Haiphong
Cam Pha
Bulk food
Food and general and miscellaneous
In ballast to load coal
United Kingdom
Tanker
China
Haiphong
Bulk petroleum?
Communist China
Dry cargo
Dry cargo
Dry cargo
Dry cargo
Dry cargo
Dry cargo
China
China
China
China
China
North Korea
Haiphong
Haiphong
Haiphong
Haiphong
Haiphong
nun ual
Bulk food
Bulk food
Food
Food and general and miscellaneous
General and miscellaneous
l CL'4111LCL' tLId b'CLICL`ai allC LLLiSU1 11aLieoue
North Vietnam
Communist China
Communist China
Communist China
Communist China
Not h iota u
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North Vietnam: Origin of Foreign-Flag Ship Arrivals, by Flag
September 1968
(Continued)
Type of
Port of
Flag
Vessel
Origin Arrival C
argo
Charter
Number
United Kingdom
ti
(
d)
Dry cargo
China Hon Gai Bulk food and general and miscellaneous
Communist China
1
con
nue
Dry cargo
China Hon Gai General and miscellaneous
Communist China
2
Cyprus
Dry cargo
Eastern Europe Hon Gai Food and general and miscellaneous
Rumania
1
Kuwait
Dry cargo
Eastern Europe Haiphong Food and general and miscellaneous
Rumania
1
Singapore
Dry cargo
Eastern Europe Haiphong General and miscellaneous
North Vietnam
1
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 ^~ I
`J
Communist China
y
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Type of
Vessel
North Vietnam: Destination of Foreign-Flag Ship Departures, by Flag
September 1968
Port of
Departure Cargo
Tanker
Dry cargo
Dry cargo
Dry cargo
Dry cargo
Dry cargo
Dry cargo
Dry cargo
Dry cargo
Dry cargo
Dry cargo
Dry cargo
Dry cargo
USSR (Far East)
USSR (Far East)
USSR (Far East)
Indonesia
Cambodia
Singapore
Japan
Japan
China
China
China
China
Hong Kong and Eastern
and Western Europe
Haiphong In ballast
Haiphong In ballast
Haiphong General and miscellaneous
Haiphong In ballast
Haiphong In ballast
Haiphong In ballast
Hon Gai Coal
Cam Pha Coal
Haiphong In ballast
Haiphong General and miscellaneous
Cam Pha Coal
Hon Gai In ballast
General and miscellaneous (including transshipment
Haiphong to Japan)
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North Vietnam: Destination of Foreign-Flag Ship Departures, by Flag
September 1968
(Continued)
Type of
Port of
Flag
Vessel
Destination Departure
Number
8
United Kingdom
Tanker
China Haiphong In ballast
1
Dry cargo
China Haiphong In ballast
Dry cargo
North Kor
3
ea
Haiphong In ballast
1
Kuwait
Dry cargo
Singapore Haiphong In ballast
Lebanon
Dry cargo
China Haiphong In ballast
Singapore
Dry cargo
Japan Cam Pha Coal
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North Vietnam: Imports Carried on Foreign-Flag Ships J
September 1968 and January-September 1967 and 1968
Thousand Metric Tons
September 1968
J
S
anuary-
eptember
Foodstuffs
Fertilizer
P
t
l
,
e
ro
eum
Timber
Miscellaneous -'/
Total
6
1
9
7
1968
48.4
L
3U.4
1
0
.
2U
131-0
1,090.8
1,474.8
C/]
1
27.1
0
26.4
1
0
21
8
.
.
76.3
862.5
972.9
n
N
USSR
Eastern Europe
14.6
0
1
26.4
1.0
18.6
60.5
514.5
649.9
I
Communist China
.
12
4
..
..
2.7
2.7
87.1
124
0
H
Cuba
.
..
..
..
0.6
13.0
248.6
.
171.4
12.2
34.6
2
32
7-0
0
28
.5
60-7
228-3
494.9
a. Imports include some estimates of cargoes, using methods which have proved to be highly reliable.
b. Including unidentified cargo of 26,600 tons.
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Table 6
North Vietnam: Exports Carried on Foreign-Flag Ships _a/
September 1968 and January-September 1967 and 1968
September 1968
January-September
Fla
Coal
Miscellaneous
Total
1967
1968
g
Total
22.3
L-1 .
24.9
484.0
500.
Communist countries
17.1
2-5
19.6
419.7
421.2
USSR
8.0
0.7
8.7
222.9
134.2
Eastern Europe
..
Negl.
Negl.
47.8
16.3
Communist China
4.0
1-.8
5.9
143.5
264.8
Cuba
5.0
5.0
5.4
5.9
5-3
0
5.3
64.3
79.6
a. Exports include some estimates of cargoes, using methods which have proved
to be highly reliable.
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Secret
Secret
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