PORT OF GUANTA/HARBOR CONDITIONS/STEVEDORING SERVICES/WAREHOUSING AND STORAGE/SUPPLIES/REPAIRS/SCHEDULE OF SERVICE CHARGED

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000500510101-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 24, 2001
• Sequence Number: 101
• Publication Date: June 4, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2003/10/01 : CIA-RDP80-00809A000500510101-0
r
U.S. Officials On;y
CONFIDENTIAL
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
25X1A
SUBJECT Port of Guanta/Uarbor Conditions/Stevedoring Services
Warehousing and'. ^sge/Supplies/Repairs/schedule
of Service - "ter
PLACE ACQUIRED
(BY SOURCE)
DATE ACQUIRED
(BY SOURCE)
25X1X
OT TMC UT.,TCI1 51570. *1TMa TfC.I7*S1Y4 0/ TIT C It. SYCYI0e5 TII
A.0 TI.. O/ let U... COOL. IS Sn Ce0[O. ITS TS.IMISIIOe a. .trt.
LOT... OI ITS ':OSTCIITI TO 0* RECEIPT O1 A. UF.Ul.O.1 Y[O 11.50. I?
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
25X1A
RESPO$S'VE TO
I 2
DATE V A I 54
NO. OF PAGES 7zz
NO. OF ENCLS, /
SUPP. TO
REPORT NO.
The Office oi' Naval IntelLig:za:.~ f~4ruiahed the following information to CIA for
IAC dissemirAtion in accordance with p%ra rapb 3(c), NSCID 7. (DIO 11ND Ccsf
Reports No 30-54 and 163-51+27
1. Harbor CanditioT.a and Anchor: t.uanta, which had a population of two thousand
in 1949, is tho- port for -Barcelona which has a population of 20 thousand and is
the capital of the state`of Anzoategui. The port captain allows a maximum draft
of 2216" for a ship berthing on the north side of the dock and a maximum draft of
2610" for a berthi).g on the south sid-. of the dock. There is no bar at Guanta,
and a depth of five fathoms will be found over the whole harbor. The use of
tide is approximately seven inches. Th xe is no swell. There are no buoys to
'tie up to, but ships can -drop one anchor said safely work. cargo to lighters.
(Sources A and B)
2. Dock Facilities: The dock, which is 210' meters long and 13.7 meters wide, is
constructed of c oncsete and ste's1 piling. A 11.00 to 600 ft. extension is contem-
plated. It is equipped with bits and. ; rata aL.e rnately spaced at about 50 ft.
It A-- raised six feet above waher at the stringpiece. Or the dock is a
single story wa -ehouee, built of concrete and having steel frames and corrugated
zinc sheathing. The dock can ac.::omnodat'_ 'ore "C-2" t.ypa ship and one small
.1 knot.' type at the same time. A and B)
. AS1 foA4= 1.o!: S t1 K. JFE .T & A,RAA CO ?3
U.S. Officials Only
0!LTP IBllTION STATEL NAVT IR FGI ~- -~~-n
This report is for the use within the TJSA of the Intelligence components of the Departments or
Agencies indtc,:V:d nbwe. It is not to be transmitted overseas, without the concurrence of the
originating o? lcr through the Assistant Director of the Ot.ce of Cnjlection and Dissemination, CIA.
ONI DECLk4SSIFICATION/RELEASE INSTRUCTIONS ON FILE
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COLIFI ::MTIAL/tJs OFFICIALS ',i aI.Y
25X1A
3. Pilotage: Pilotage is compulsory'. Pilots are employed by the Government's Port
Service which fixes the fees according to the ship's tonnage and the period of
the day or night when the services wea?,_.,_..rde.-ed. Lnetails are reported in the
Schedule of Fees, Cha~-gee and Rates, Ports of Guacta and Puerto La Cruz, avail-
able on loan from the CIA Llbraryj (Sources A anc: B)
4. .Sailing Problems: In 1953^.uanta was considered a very difficult port to enter
and leave at night; because of the narrow passage between the shoals b-tween
Punta Meta and Punta Qaequ,, which are shown on. US iiydrographic Office Chart #5571;
and because of the lack of adequate navigational aids. Only the light on Pitahaya
was visible when leaving port. The 1 fight on Chimarie. Segunda could not be. seen
.and there was no light at all on the docl,. (Source A)
5. Lighters: In addition to the lighters available, the grace Line has four sectional
steel shallow-draft barges with sir holiis and four :rate-t'.ght bulkheads. Each
has a capacity of 250 tons. Alec.. has two pontoon ligk-te:s., each with a capacity
of 150 tons. The oruy coat available ir. Guo.nta for towing lighters is Alcoa's
125 hp motor launch, "Manta". (Source B)
Berthin : Tugs are. not necessary for safe docking and none are available.
Source A)
7. Cargo Handling; The law requires that handling of all cargo be done by stevedores
of the Government Port Service. The stevedores are government employees, and the
government in responsible in case of their injury either aboard ship or,on the
dock. There are 18 gangs, consisting of 1?_ men to a gang, available foi,-_.shir{board
work and 16 gangs available for dock work. In October 1952, marine regulations
required a special. rigging gang to rig gears, take hatches off, and cover up. In
October 1952 the stevedores and winch drivers were very good. (Source A) Work
is performed on a tonnage basis, 1000 kilos to the ton, loading or discha'~ging.
No gangs are available on Sundays or holidays, as the Port Service does not work.
The fol-owing are rates of discharge for various types of cargo: flour, cement,
rice - 25 tons per hour; steel -? 10 tons per hour; cartons of milk - 15 tons per
hour; empty bottles and cans - 8 tons por hour; general cargo - 10 tons per hour;
pipe - 20 tons per hour; drums of ol.l_ and grease - 25 tons per hour; automobiles -
12 units per hour. All -:L its exceeding eight tons must be discharged directly
to vehicles provided by consignees, with whom advance arrangements are made. Unite
up. to 50 tons have been discharged without difficulty. /ore complete information
on stevedoring, cue:oms and consular fees, etc may be found in the "Schedule of
Fees, Charges Rates, Ports of Guanta and Puerto La Cruz" available on loan
from the CIA _~. aryj (Source B)
8. Stevedorin Equipment: The Port Service owns the full:wing cargo handling equip-
ma,.'t: L5 tow motors, large, double-wheeled; 8 two motors, medium, single-wheeled.;
two mobile cranes, a ton capacity; 5 mobile cranes, 5 ton capacity; 35 fork trucks,
5 ton capacity; 5 fork-.lift trucks, 21- tun capacity; 6 trailers; 4 tractors; 21 hand
trucks; 95 trolleys; 1250 pallets. All of these are in serviceable condition. In
addition to Port Service equipment, consignees frequently provide their awn (or
contracted) vehicles to receive cargo directly from the ship. In Puerto La Cruz
there are about si- trucking f~i-ms with several hundred vehicles of many types which
are suitable for transporting practically any kind of cargo. (Source B)
9. Warehousing: A customs warehouse located on the eastern end of the dock has a
floor space of 1170 square meters. Another rehouse or, the dock has a floor space
of about 1800 square meters. The main floor of the old customs house, which is
about 100 meters from the pie_-, is ales used for storage. It has a floor space
of about 300 square. meters. The Customs warehouse or, the dock is used for import
cargo. The other we.-rehouse on :,he dock is used :'or commissary stores. The storage
space in the customs ncuse is used for coastwise cargo. (S,_i=ce B)
10. Open Storage Space: chore is an spec. ratio mearrT'rfSmq~a.Pproxii ately 200 meters by
50 meters chat is com_leteLy paved. with eephalt and is by a fence.
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CCRJFIDFfTIAL/US OFFICIALS CKLY
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It is used for storage of pipe, heavy cases, cement, and drums. West of the dock
there is a? large unpaved area of reclaimed land which is protected by a fence and
the sea. This section is about a quarter of a mile square and is used for storage
of pipe, lumber, scrap metal, etc. (Source P)
U. Explosives: Upon arrival of a vessel transporting explosives, the agent must in-
form the authorities o the quality and nature of same. The authorities will then
indicate where.the cargo must be stored, and discharge must be effected. under the
supervision of the Guardia Hacionel. Explosives are discharged directly from
slip to pier. No special magazines for the storage of explosives exist. There
are no restrictions covering the transportation of explosives. (Source B)
12, Fuel and Supplies: No bunkers are available at Guanta. The nearest bunkers are
at Puerto La Cruz. Fresh water can be delivered at the rate of about two tons
per hour at a coot of Boli!vars 1.50 per ton. The water is impregnated with calcium.
When water is taken on at night, or on Sundays or holidays, the water man is paid
an extra fixed-fee of Bolfvars 20.00. Food supplies of all kinds are available
in adequate quantities and can be delivered quickly. Fresh vegetables, fish, and
meat are abundant. Imported groceries are available. (Source B)
13. Ship Repair Facilities: Except for one small ship-way opposite the dock, no
facilities exist for repairs of any consequence. However, excellent welding equip-
ment and technicians are available on short notice from Puerto La Cruz, where there
are many machine shops. There is no salvage equipment at Guanta. (Source B)
14. Transportation Connections: Formerly there was a railroad in thiserea, but none
exists now J a n u a r y 195 Akn automobile road in good condition connects Guanta
with Puerto La Cruz, -which is six kilometers away, and with Barcelona, which is
20 kilometers away. There are also connections by automobile roads with San Tome
and Caripito. (Source B)
LAvailable on loan from the CIA Library is a typewritten copy of Fees, Charges and
Rates charged at Guanta/Puerto La. Cruzj
L RARY W13JECT A AI Z`. CO.D
75 948 c?E
755.`>4t Si
755. .45 8E
755.549 8E
75t, .547 Si
75b.541 Si
'!55.544 Si
7i; . 0E, LIE
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