NAVAL DOCKYARD AND ASSOCIATED INSTALLATIONS AT VARNA, BULGARIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78T04753A000200010015-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 16
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 22, 2001
• Sequence Number: 15
• Publication Date: May 12, 1958
• Content Type: IM

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COPY NO.: 39
OP SECRET
JOINT PHOTOGRAPHIC 'INTELLIGENCE MEMORANDUM
NAVAL DOCKYARD AND ASSOCIATED
INSTALLATIONS AT VARNA, BULGARIA
NAVY
HTA/JM-658
12 MAY 1958
Declass Review by
NIMA / DoD .
CIA
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WARNING
This material contains information affecting
the National Defense of the United States
within the meaning of the espionage laws,
Title 18, USC, Secs. 793 and ,;;794, the trans-
mission or revelation of which in any manne
to an unauthorized person is prohibited by 1 .: .
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NAVAL DOCKYARD AND ASSOCIATED
INSTALLATIONS AT VARNA, BULGARIA
HTA/JM-6/58
12 May 1958
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
I.
Introduction
4
I I.
Summary and Conclusions
4
III.
The Port of Varna (Stalin)
5
IV,
The Graving Dock
5
V.
The Dockyard Components
6
VI0
Housing
7
VII,
Transportation Facilities
8
VIII. Probable Associated Naval Installations
8
IX.
Communication Facilities
9
X.
Security and Defenses
10
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I. INTRODUCTION
This Joint Photographic Intelligence Memorandum has been
prepared at HTAUTOMAT by CIA, Army, and Navy analysts, under
Navy Chairmanship. It is intended to utilize both photographic and
collateral intelligence in presenting a general description of the
Naval Dockyard and associated installations at Varna, Bulgaria,
and to answer the following specific requirements: CIA/GP/HTA/
R-21/57 and Navy Op-922HI Project 7-57. Photographic interpre-
tation has been derived from a series of oblique prints of
-aerial photography, one of which accompanies this analysis.
Some photos taken from shipboard are also available.
A far oblique aerial view of the port appears on photo-
graphy. Collateral intelligence from several sources has been used.
II. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
The Varna Naval dockyard is a major Soviet bloc ship repair
facility. It contains a 750-foot graving dock, completed in
-after four years under construction. It has apparently been used
only for merchant vessel repair, which is consistent with the known
fact that Soviet facilities for hull repairs to merchant vessels are
inadequate. However, the size of this dockyard and its strategic
location with respect to the Mediterranean Sea make it of great
potential importance to the Soviet Navy.
Only two graving docks in the entire Soviet Bloc exceed the
Varna dock in size, both of which are located at Molotovsk in the
White Sea just below the Arctic circle. These docks are each
1,000 feet in length. The Varna dock, measuring 750 by 100 feet,
is large enough to accommodate any vessel the Soviet Union has,
either naval or merchant type. During its first year of operation
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30 ships were reported repaired. 1/ Five ships were reported
under repair at one time during The presence of
light towers giving the dockyard a night operating capability, is
indicated by available shipboard photos.
III. THE PORT OF VARNA (STALIN)
Varna lies on the west shore of the Black Sea, 130 nm north-
east of the northern entrance to the Bosporus, and 260 nm west-
southwest of Odessa. Ice usually presents no winter navigational
problem, as it does with the ports of Sevastopol and Odessa. Only
in severe winters does a belt of drift ice 30 to 40 miles wide extend
down the coast to the Bosporus. Tides do not adversely affect
operations. The mean range is only 0.3 feet. There is a seasonal
change of two feet which depends primarily on the volume of water
discharged by the rivers which drain into the sea, and to atmospheric
and wind conditions. Fog creates no severe problem because it is
usually of short duration. 3/
IV. GRAVING DOCK
Construction of the graving dock began under the
supervision of Soviet engineers and technicians. Since its formal
opening it has been operated by the Georgi
Dimitrov Shipyard and Ship Repair Plant, under the supervision
of Soviet officials.
The dock took twice as long to construct as would normally
be expected. However, it is apparent that the excavation was much
more extensive than was required for a graving dock alone. The
pit excavation was reportedly dug to a depth of_below sea
level. 4/
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Sides of the dock have been built in five steps, whereas the latest
type graving docks in this country have perpendicular walls.
V. DOCKYARD COMPONENTS
The following items comprising the dockyard, in addition
to the graving dock, are annotated on the photograph and drawing
which accompany this memorandum.
Concrete apron 170 feet wide surrounding the
dock, apparently used as a stockyard.
Two craneways. Each craneway has aportal
gooseneck jib crane. Estimate made from
shipboard photos indicate a 10-ton capacity for
for one and a 30 -ton capacity for the other.
Two quay areas with a total berthing space
of 730 feet.
Unidentified semi-buried storage at north end
of dockyard, consisting of a double-mounded
structure.
Thermal power plant, 90 by 30 feet. Has
coal storage pile adjacent. The main power
plant in Varna (B. E. with an
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estimated capacity of 10,000 KW is located
about one-half mile away.
Main shop, 335 by 60 feet. Available ship-
board photos show multiple exhaust stacks
on roof.
Administration building, 90 by 25 feet.
Probable garage building,
Probable machine shop, 235 by 65 feet and
90 by 75 feet.
Small tower, 2 1/2 to 3 stories high.
Guardhouse.
Possible open storage area.
Concrete apron
Five unidentified buildings varying in size
from about 40 by 25 feet to 165 by 25 feet.
Shed, 135 feet long.
Wall, 10 feet thick, bounds the dockyard on
three sides.
Possible spare lock-gate.
VI. HOUSING
The apartment area for naval officers and dockyard workers and
families which houses an estimated 1,800 people, is located south of
the dockyard (plate 1) and consist of the following:
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Eleven three-story buildings, each 1 80 by
55 feet.
Five two-story apartment building, each 70
by 55 feet.
Boilerhouse, 70 by 55 feet.
Six unidentified building.
VII. TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES
A single-track rail line leads to Sofiya in the interior. A
second single-track rail line leads north into Rumania. A rail
spur enters the dockyard serving all the major components (plate
1). There are surfaced highways leading from Varna to Sofiya,
Burgas, Dobrich, and Balchik. These highways have been previously
reported as having crushed stone surfaces approximately 20 feet
in width, but the Varna-Burgas and the Varna-Balchik roads have been
improved since World War II, with numerous sharp curves elimated
by cutting and filling.
VIII. PROBABLE ASSOCIATED NAVAL INSTALLATIONS
A. Naval Base (see plate 2)
The south breakwater has been expanded into a mole
100 feet wide and 1,600 feet long. This is being used as a berthing
facility for the naval base. Additional quayage has been made on the
north side giving at least 800 feet more berthing space. Several
buildings have been added since World War II. Although no infor-
mation is available on depths alongside the new mole and the quay,
it might be noted that the depths (MSL) alongside most of the other
berthing spaces in the inner harbor average _ feet.
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B. Munitions Storage (plate 2)
The main munitions storage area at Varna is situated
on the sides of several halls approximately 4,000 feet south of the
seaplane base on Lake Varnensko. There are 17 large buildings
in individual revetments carved in the sides of the hills. This has
been reported as a naval munitions storage area,. and has been
considerably expanded since World War II.
Approximately 1,500 feet south of the seaplane station
there is a field about 325 feet by 250 feet which appears to be
concrete surfaced as though a covering for a storage area.
About 4,000 feet east of the seaplane station is another
former munitions storage area. This, too, has been expanded since
World War II. There have been four large and numerous small
buildings added, and the area has been almost doubled in size.
C. Other
Also reported at Varna are the Bulgarian Naval Head-
quarters, Black Sea Fleet and the Bulgarian Naval Academy. Their
probable locations are as shown on plate 2.
IX. COMMUNICATION FACILITIES
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At 43?09' 54" N/27? 54'38"E there are two 90-foot-long build-
ings surrounded by earth blast walls. One is rectangular and one
is L-shaped . No masts are noted,
At 43?08? 53" N/27? 52 i 50k' E there is a 10o by 35 foot prob-
able multistory building and two tall stick masts 200 feet apart.
X. SECURITY AND DEFENSI S
A stone and concrete wall ten feet thick encloses the dock-
yard on three sides, with a pier and the graving dock entrance corn-
prising the fourth aide. An extremely tight security ban on visitors
to the Varna area was imposed, beginning in With
the exception of one instance involving some
were unaware that a graving dock was under construction, no
Western intelligence personnel have been permitted to enter the
area.
While the Varna area is known to have coastal defenses, no
coastal defense guns, searchlights, pill boxes, observation posts,
mine fields, or submarine nets could be confirmed on the photo-
graphy. Anti-aircraft defenses, which are easier to observe, are
surprisingly light. Only two batteries were identified, one near
the dockyard, and the other south of the dockyard near Cape Galata.
These batteries are the conventional eight-gun circular type.
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MAP DATA:
ATMP: 0323-9999-25M
REFERENCES:
1. Air, USAFE. C/U& Only/
CONT CONTROL..
2. CIA. FDD Summary #986, Econ. Report # 98, 5 July 1956 (S)
3. NIS 23, Bulgaria, Section 35, p. 12, April 1953 (S)
4. Ivanenko, N. Y. "Mechanization of Construction of a Dry
Dock in the People's Republic of Bulgaria", Scientific-
Technical Journal, Organ of the Ministries of Mines, For-
estry, Construction, etc. of the USSR, Vol. 10, No. 3, March
1956, Moscow (U)
5. CIA. CS 32615e, 22 March 1954 < C/US ONLY/CONT CONTROL
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VARNA NAVAL DOCKYARD
43011'25 " N-27?5405"E
WALL / CONCRETE - APRON
POSS. WAREHOUSE
MAIN
GATE
KITCHEN &
STORAGE
UAY::;
WAREHOUSE
SC%OL
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TRUDOVAK
(LABOR BATTALION)
ACKS
BARRACKS
\
0`` HOSPITAL,
B STORAGE
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VARNENSKO LAKE
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THERMAL POWER PLANT
?mr' M_
AA POSITION
NAVAL DOCKYARD
ASPARUKHOVO
GRAVING DOCK
INNER HARBOR
NAVAL BASE
(POSSIBLE SPARE
LOCK GATE
QUARTERS FOR
DOCKYARD PERSONNEL
1000 0 1000 2000 3000 4000
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FLEET (REPORTED)
PLATE 2
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BLACK SEA
AA POSITION