POLISH OCEAN SHIPPING AND PLANS FOR ITS DEVELOPMENT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000600270225-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 19, 2011
• Sequence Number: 225
• Publication Date: December 6, 1949
• Content Type: REPORT

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CLASSIFICATION CO1 F]i ENTIAL dJii
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY REPORT
INFORMATION FROM
FOREIGN DOCUMENTS OR RADIO BROADCASTS CD NO.
COUNTRY Poland
SUBJECT Economic - Shipping
HOW
PUBLISHED Book
wi:l1 c
PUBLISHED Warsaw
DATE
PUBLISHED 1948
LANGUAGE
DATE OF
INFORMATION 1947
DATE DIST. 6 Dec 1949
NO. OF PAGES 5
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
"IS ""MAR CoITAIRI IRPOYIIATIOR MM=RR IRS MAMMAL Olrg%3#
or IRS 0RFTI0 STLYO 51}1115 Tilt RUIRRR or Il"ORAfl ACT re
R. ' C.. 91 AND 22.114499.090.
Or 651 CORTpITS It ARr RARRII TO AN RRARTRORICIO 51-00- lr PAO.
RlnnI tT CAR. IIMOMCTOI or IRIS rot. Is MKINU..
Chapter VI1, Part 1, Eooznik Prze alu Odrodzone,9 Polki (Yearbook. of
industry of Regenerated Poland , 2d Ed, issued by "Ingros" Economic
Information Publishing Cooperative, published by State Graphic Estab-
lisbments.
Capt Henryk Borakorski
Chief, Shipping Br, Merchant Marine
At the and of 1945, the entire Polish merchant fleet was still outside the
boundaries of the country. The offices of the largest shipping enterprises of
Poland, GAL (Gdynia-America Shipping Lines, Limited), Zegluga Polska (Polish Ship-
ping, Limited), and Polbryt (Polish-British Shipping Association; Limited) were,
still in London. The shipping enterprises and the ships did not return to Poland
until March 1946, upon completion of negotiations by the DMA (United Maritime
Authorities), an international shipping organisation which was formed during the
war and handled all the ocean-going vessels of all the Allies except those of
the U. The Polish peasrAnger and freight ships such as the MS Batory, SS Ko-
aciuszko, 'and SS Pulaski were under charter (Bareboat charter or time charter)
to the Ministry of War Transport of England until April 1946, while the MS So-
bieski was under charter to the same ministry until the fall of 1946.
Despite the fact that the ships were released from war operations in
March 1946, the Polish shipping enterprises could not transfer their activi-
ties from London to Poland until the following transactions essential to nor-
mal operations were completed: (a) release of the shipping companies' funds
by the Bank of England for the disposal of the National Bank of Poland; (b) or-
ganization and maintenance of regular and normal telephone and telegraph com-
munications with all countries, especially soacoast countries, and assurance
of fast postal service; and (c) assurance of office space on the seacoast for
the several hundred officials and living quarters for several hundred families,
etc.
'As of 1 October 1946, the offices of the GAL, Zegluga Polska, and Polbryt
were established in Gdynia. The three enterprises were organized as joint stock
.companies bef;Tre the war and were almost entirely financed by state capital.
'-1- i
CLASSIFICATION CONFIDENTLAL GG-~~ kiiLiv 8'
SIR.
STATE NAVY LXI
ARMY IX AIR 14, FBI
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LET yP.e?~.~?, y
'MA~J YW LS~Y
the war, tAese ccmpaniee came under the ju;isd.!ctibn of the Minister of Industry
and Trade, according to the Statute of 30 March 1939 regarding communications in
the Minister or the Treasury and the Minister or Industry and Trade until the
middle.of 1942, and from then on under the'Mixtietor of Industry, Trade, and
Navigation.
disrupted, with no representation abroad. Trustees were appointed for each of
the three companies as provided for in the decree on the administration and
diepositica+ of Polish property abroad. In the second 4alf of 1944, the Trus-
teee, Limited, of Zegluga Polska and Polbryt released tl)e assets of the two
companies to GAL, which has administered and disposed of more than 92 percent
of all the Polish merchant vessels from that time until the present, and is
itself under compulsory state control. The reorganization of the three ship-
ping companies according tc their original setup is to take place in the near
future.
At the beginning of 1945, the total tonnage of merchant ships at the die-
posal of tj6 tree shipping companies operating with government capital was
101,995 grope' jegistered tgna; the tonnage of tie remaining companies operat-
ing with private capital was 7,076 gross registered tons.
The gable below gives toe status of the Polish merchant fleet at the be-
ginning of 1946:
MS Batory - pane, frt
5,560
14,287
MS Sobieski
7,260
11,030
88 Pulaeki*
n
6.15o
6;345
88 loscigssko
n
5,300
6,825
MS Norska 'Bola -
frt
4,556
3,223
M8 Stalova Wala
4, 5.56
3, a3
88 Bialystok
n
10,490
7,172,79
Sib Tobruk
10,40
7,047.96
88 Narvik
10,420
7,o3i,40
88 Baltyk
10,098
7,001.47
88 Boryalaw
n
8,635
5,9T7.33
RRT
8,102
6,351
3,820
4,207
1,972
1,972
4,278.03
4,976.64
4,967.02
5,121.26
4,044.04
*The obsolete uneconomical vessels built before World.War I were sold at a
profit to re British Minis.,ry of War Transport in April 1946, at a time when
such vessels were still desirable for army transports.
WT--dead-weight tonnage; BRT--gross measurement capacity in registered tone;
NRT--net meaaurement capacity in registered tons; one registered ton equals 2.83
cubic meters.
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Ocean-Going Vessels of Zegluga Polska, Limited
Freighters
DWT
BRT
SS Wisle
5,146
3,108
SS Wilno
2,850
2,018
SS Katowice
2,850
11995
SS Krakow
2,850
2,018
MS Lechietan
3,070
1,907
M8 Levant
3,070
1,923
SS Slack
1,515
1,402
88 Bel
1, 545
1, 066
MS Oksyvie
1,010
,
766
SS Poznan
2
850
2,018
SS Torun
2,850
2,018
MT
1,844
1,121
1,107
1,121
994
996
758
504
In 1946, Zegluga Polska also assumed operation of two Danzig ships obtained
by Poland as reparations: the SS Rata, formerly the Weichsel, 1,021 gross regis-
tered tons, and the SS Nyasa, formerly the Hafnia, 546 gross registered tons.
Ocean-Going Vessels of Polbryt
Freighters
DWT
BET
NET
88 Lech
SS Lublin
2,110
1
4
1,568
790
88 Lida
,97
2,110
1,409
1568
790
6,194
4,545
2,267
During the entire year of 1946, Zegluga Polska was operating five Type "K"
'Vessels leased from the US government for a token dollar: the 88 Kutno, 88 Kolno,
88 Krosno, 88 Koval, and 88 Kielce with a total capacity of 9,360 gross registered
tons. The 88 Kielce sank in the Zbglish Channel after collision with a British
vessel in March 1946. GAL was operating only one vessel leased from the US govern-
ment, the 88 Opole, 7,176 gross registered tone. In October 1946, the U6 govern-
ment terminated lease agreements for the above-named vessels, which were returned
to the US early in 1947.
Three private shipping companies, in existence before the war, i.e., (1)
Polekarob (Polish-Scandinavian Transport Company, Limited) which during the war
operated under the name of A. Falter; (2) Baltic Shipping Company; and (3) Rothert
and Kilaczycki, remained outside of Poland throughout 1946, and their vessels did
not call at Polish ports. A. Falter had two ships, the SS Kmici-, 1,894 gross
registered tone, and the Kordecki, 1,948 gross registered tons. The Baltic Ship-
ping Company had the 88 Narocz, 1,794 gross registered tons, and the S8 Chorzow,
845 gross registered tone, which was subsequently sold. Rothert and Kilaczycki
had only one ship, the MS Bug, 499 gross, registered tons.
The present Polish merchant marine is not adequate either in size or quality
for the economic needs of the country and must be greatly increased. The carry-
ing capacity of the 27 ocean-going vessels available at the end of 1946 totaling
94,698 gross registered tons was lees than 2 million tone a year. The equipment
is not the modern high-grade equipment Poland had before the war. During the war,
many Polish vessels operated without adequate annual repairs and now rdquire major
repairs. The MS Batory, the largest Polish ship carrying passengers and freight,
was returned to GAL by the British in April. It was put up in the Antwerp ship-
yards for general repairs and also for the reconversion of its installations from
vartime :o peacetibs operations. Because of a fire which broke out on the ship
CONFIDEN LAL
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50X1-HUM
in July 1946 and the strike of Antwerp port workers in December 1946, the re-
pairs took over 6 months to complete. The ship did not leave until 1 April for
its first voyage to New York via Southampton where it picked up 850 passengers,
reestablishing the prewar passenger and freight service to North America. The
M8 Sobieski was released to GAL in October 1946 by the British and was put in
the Gdansk shipyards for general repairs nn.d for rebuilding, On 29 April 1947,
the Sobieski left for Genoa to start the regular Genoa-Cannes-New York run, a
well-paying export of ocean services.
54,000 gross registered tons, i.e., 3 passenger ships, 3 regular freighters, 6
In September 1946, during the stay In Moscow of DrL Petrusewicz, Vice-Minister
Polznd is to receive 15 percent of the Soviet share of marine reparations.
The deteriorated condition of the Polish merchant fleet compared to 1939
is part of the price paid by Poland in the fight for victory. The German ships
received through reparations partly compensated Poland for its losses.
In 1945, the remaining German merchant fleet was divided among the three
big Allies, who in turn were to redistribute the spoils among the smaller Allies.
66 Jagiello
Duala Pass
6,139
3,000
16
88 Beniovaki
Kaiser "
1,900
--
16
88 Waza
Meklenburg
1,547
400
13
r1dB iiaza
Schikeee
117
--
--
88 Olsztyn
Inkenturm Frt
1,925
3,200
10
88 Opole
Irene Oldendorf
1,923
3,200
10
88 Eutno
Helga-Ina
2,181
3,375
9.5
88 Zaliez
Boltenhof
3,300
5,630
8.5
S8 Solobrzeg
Schleavig-
Holstein
2,369
4,18o
9
MB rynski
Athen
4,900
7,185
14.5
SB Pulaski
Leuna
6,700
9,825
13.5
S8 Kplno
Nordlioht
2,491
3,200
13.5
MS %rpaty
Adria
6,000
9,500
12
SS Koaoiuszko
Rheinfels
7,763
11,200
16
Oliva - Balk No 852 not completed
Zubr
Bartenflet Tug
219
1,100 hp
Bawol
Rechteuflet "
148
1,100 hp
Cyklop
Statman
--
480 hp
1938
1905
1903
1927
1944
1944
1925
1911
1921
1937
1928
1938
1928
1934
In addition to war reparations, the Polish merchant marine is being increased
by restitution of ships which before the war flew the Polish or the Gdansk flag.
In 1946, through the efforts of the Polish Marine Mission in London,. Its agency
in Hamburg, and the delegate to the Marine Branch of the Polish Military Mission
in Berlin, 40 former Polish merchant ships were identified, reclaimed, and re-
turned to Poland. Among these were the freighter Torun, several Gdynia tugboats,
a number of fishing cutters, and two former Gdansk ships, the 88 Welclisel and the
S8 Hafnia, now the Ratak and the Nyeaa, respectively. Negotiations are continu-
ing and it Is expected that the Robur VIII, the MS Bielsko, 4,660 gross registered
tone, and the Levant II will be returned to Poland.
In summing up Poland's accomplishments in marine shipping in 1946, one should
mention: the conversion to peacetime trade operations; the return to Poland of the
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most important shipping enterprises, GAL, Polbryt, and Zegluge Polske; the sub-
stantial restitution of Polish ;essels; the preliminary work to secure our share
of reparations; nn d reeetebl i eh ii g, under the Polish Flag, ccbcd ulOd cailirge
from Gdynia and Gdansk to eastern and western ports of Sweden, Antwerp, London
ant Bull, the US, Brazil and Argentina, and Alexandria, Haifa, and Tel Aviv.
The rebuilding and development of the Polish merchant marine was treated
very modestly in the Three-Year Economic Plan. The development is to be accom-
plished as much as possible without the use of investment funds, i.e., by secur-
ing vessels through reparations, re-laiming former Potisb vessels, raising and
rehabilitating sunken vessels, and, to a small extent, by building new vessels.
By 1949, the fleet is expected. to reach a capacity of about 260,000 gross regis-
tered tons, tripling Poland's 1946 tonnage of 94,698 gross registered tons. The
expansion of the Polish merchant marine bhould be a function of Polish foreign
trade augmented by transit trade. The volume of goods handled by the ports will
determine the development of Poland's ocean shipping. Since a great part of
Poland's overseas trade consists of bulk goods, coal and ore, great emphasis will
be put on tramp shipping.
Simultaneously, the development of a network of regular lines will trans-
form the Polish ports from more transshipment ports to commercial ports. Emphasis
will be placed primarily on the development of a dense network of auxiliary lines
and lines connecting with countries with which Poland has renewed trade relations.
The plans for 1947 are. (a) to put into service the German ships, totaling
67,100 dead-vsight tone, received through reparations; (b) to purchase one US
Victory-type vessel of 10,000 dead-veiaht tons (c) to put into service the re-
claims' MS General Walter, the former Bielsko, 6,500 dead-weight tone. The total
fleet will increase by 83,600 dead-weight tons.
According to the provisions of the Three-Year Economic Plan, orders were
placed with domestic shipyards for six ore and coal carriers, each having a
capacity of 2,500 dead-weight tons, and with foreign shipyards for one Hel-type
vessel of 1,500 dead-weight tens capacity and two Goole-type vessels, each of
1,125 dead-weight tons capacity.
Coastal shipping which started operation in late 1945 but did not begin to
take on real form until the fall of 1946, also forms a part of the merchant marine.
On 20 November 1946, Gryf (Polish Coastal Shipping in the Baltic, Limited) was
formed. Stockholders of the company are: Zegluga Polska, Limited, Polska Zegluga
Na Odrze, Polakie Drogi Wodne, and the urban communities of Gdansk, Gdynia, Sopot,
Eolobrzeg, and Szczecin. The purpose of the enterprise is major and minor coastal
shipping between Polish ports, especially: (a) transport of passengers, mail,
and other freibit in Polish vessels or chartered vessels; (b) execution of the
over-all plan through pertinent operations; (c) organization of tourist travel
and ocean trips; and (d) the building and maintenance of its own wharves and load-
ing and warehousing facilities.
As provided for in the Gryf investment plan, repairs have been started on
the wrecks left by the Germans along the polish seacoast. In 1947, the follow-
lug vessels were to be restored and put into operation: the passenger SS Teliirena,
200 dead-weight tons, the freighter 86 San, 200 deed-weight tons, the passenger
MS Jolanta, 200 dead-weight tons, and the passenger MS Grazyna, 115 dead-weight
tons, received as part of the reparation..
Repairs are to be completed on the following vessels: the passenger SS
Diana, 490 dead-weight tons, the passenger MS Olimpia, 200 dead-weight tons, the
passenger SS.Benioweki, 1,900 dead-weight tons (also received as reparations),
and several smaller vessels which will be used in minor coastal traffic.
The 3-year investment plan of the Gryf provides for the repair of wrecks
which are raised and for the purchase of vessels for coastal service.
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