MAIN INSPECTORATE OF HARBORS AND NAVIGATION - MMF

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP80-00810A001000400010-5
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
S
Document Page Count: 
9
Document Creation Date: 
December 21, 2016
Document Release Date: 
February 18, 2009
Sequence Number: 
10
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
May 5, 1953
Content Type: 
REPORT
File: 
Body: 
Approved For Release 2009/02/18: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA001000400010-5 CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY INFORMATION REPORT SLCRF"T SECURITY INFORMATION COUNTRY USSR SUBJECT Main Inspectroate of Harbors and Navigation -- M? PLACE ACQUIRED This Document contains information affecting the Na- tional Defense of the United States, within the mean- ing of Title 18, Sections 793 and 794, of the U.S. Code, as amended. Its transmission or revelation of its contents to or receipt by an unauthorized person is prohibited by law. The reproduction of this form is prohibited. REPORT DATE DISTR. 5 May 1953 NO. OF PAGES 9 REQUIREMENT NO. RD REFERENCES THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE. THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE. (FOR KEY SEE REVERSE) The Main Inspectorate of Harbors and Navigation (Glavnaya Inspektsiya Portov i Moreplavaniya),hereafter abbreviated MIHN,was a department of the Ministry of the Merchant Fleet (MMF) and was subordinate to this ministry through Deputy Minister (fnu) BAYEV. The head of the Inspectorate was General Director MMF 3rd Class (fnu) POLKOPSKIY. 2. The MIHN had been a department of the N F since the latter was organized in 1917. The MIEN was responsible fors a. Regulations governing duties of crew members (organizatsiya nutrikorabelnoy sluzhby); b. Organization of the communication service; c. Classification of MMF vessels; d. Research on navigation procedures, instruments, and equipment, as well as rescue equipment; AIR 1 RE ~ Approved For Release 2009/02/18: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA001000400010-5 U 25X1 LN Approved For Release 2009/02/18: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA001000400010-5 SECRET/SECURITY INFORMATION (3) The second Officer ( toroy .pomochchnik) was responsible for the ship's documents, entries in the ship's books,and bookkeeping and accvan 6ing (4) The third officer (Tre ti Pomosh;chnik, often called Shturmanskiy Pomosfichnik) was responsible for the na i i v gat on equipment and instruments. The fourth officer(ir there was one, as there always was on large freight-pa,5aenger vessels-and on all passenger ships) was responsible for the organization and control of passenger transport (6) The boatswains were responsible for the deck work and tackle. Engineer personnel (l) The chief engineer (Starshiy Mekhanik) was responsible for the operation and maintenance of.all machinery and l mechanical equipment on the ship, (2) The second engineer (Vtoroy Mekhanik) was responsible for the operation and maintenance of the main propulsion engine, :(3) The third engineer (Tretiy Mekhanik) was responsible.for the operation of the-boilers and steam lines; On all diesel ships, the third engineer, in addition to the above duties, was responsible for the operation of the diesel generator, diesel loading and unloading machinery,, .and the electric power plant and equipment. (4} The fourth engineer was responsible for the engine room and for deck auxiliary machineryi regulations stipulated that no MW vessel could operate with less. than two-.thirds of ,its Tp . This applied to both ,tlie deck crew and .engine room. personnel, The captain of the ship and chief engineer,- or their deputies, were required to be on board at all times, The Communications Service (Signal'nyaya Sluzhba) provided for the following types of signals: a. Sound signals were of the following types: steam signals (called Revun on diesel ships), whistles operated by com- pressed air ifons), sirens, and bells. These signals were used in accordance with' regulations of the international .maritime convention, V. signals were those lights on'the port and starboard sides of'the ship, the light on top the mast?(Topovoy) a hook ?board light behind the funnel, flares (false fire), and special light' signals prescribed for the tanker fleet to Indicate such things as the name of the tanker. Except for the last group, all light signals On USSR merchant vessels were used in accordance with the international maritime convention. a. Flag. signals were of the following types: (1) Holiday flags were flown for national holidays, (2) The national flag was. flown from the sterns of ships in the USSR merchant fleet ? from. 0800 hours to sundown. SECRET Approved For Release 2009/02/18: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA001000400010-5 Approved For Release 2009/02/18: CIA-RDP80-00810A001000400010-5 SECRET/,9EC, J_F._TY INFORMATION (3) Special flays, such a aervI ice-pennants and honorary pennants. The ser .. ?; pennants were red and were flown from the main mast r en the Minister or one, of ? his. deputies was on boa^A. The honorary pennants were :of two types : permanent pennants gi.--vei to certain ships for outstanding service in -World. ' We,r II (either red pennants presented by the State Defense' Committee or sky-blue pennants awarded by the MMF or by the USSR Central. Committee of the Trade Union), and those given for outstanding service performed during a quarterly' period. The latter might be the pennant of the USSR Council of Ministers, which is wedge-shaped, red, 31 M. long, with the embroidered coat of arms of the USSR, or it might be the pennant of the. MKF or USSR Central. Committee of the Trade Union,9.which was -sky blue, 31 m o long,. with the embroidered coat of arms of the MDW 7. The large number of'types of vessels, according to means of operation, iii ,,the merchant marine of the USSR 'made the task of classification of MMF vessels very difficult.. The official manual for classification of Mid' vessels was entitled Technical ., o peration .. of_ the MME' Vessels (Fravi.ia Tekhnicheska tsploatatsii su ov re ov'o o c i`was nub t s e l v a ~3n 'f nembe Special attention was paid by the MMF to research in the following: a. Navigation under difficult-conditions such as rocky-regions, foggy weather-, storms, icy regions, canals, etc. ..Methods of towing strings of barges, especially those which were heavily loaded, floats,-railroad tank cars (The best length of rope between the tug and the first barge was considered to be 650 m ; for subsequent barges the rope could be shorter.) c. Determination of the ship's position by one- of three methods: (1) Navigational, based on known lighthouses, ports, natural locations landmarks, ashore etc. such as' (2) As'bronomical (3) Radio navigational (pelengator) d. Modernization of,navigatj.onal instruments and equipment, .Special emphasis was given to providing ships with a new sextant equipped with a level and an integrator, 'mechanicitl sea-gauges, electrical logs, gyrocompasses equipped with a cobling device (type Kurs-III, manufactured at the Navigat:Lon Instruments Plant - Zavod Morekhodnykh Instrument.ov - in Leningrad), radio navigational equipment such as radio locators and radio-pelengators (there were very few ships in the USSR equi ped with radio locators), modern navigational maps, lotsiya 19ea nual. , and arctic maps. e Rescue equipment The MNii not only was interested in research on rescue equipment and methods but also promoted the manu- facture of such equipment as lifeboats, floats,. wooden benches provided rovided with fastened tow Ii berlirr,cork life rings krug) of three types: standard, those provided with a cord 26 m. long (regulations stated that there should be at leas., two such on each ship as well as a cork ;;SECRET 25X1 Approved For Release 2009/02/18: CIA-RDP80-00810A001000400010-5 Approved For Release 2009/02/18: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA001000400010-5 25X1 A3ECRET/SFC?ZR1TTY INFORMATION life jacket for each memb~eer of the crew). Since 1951 both rings and life jackets have been manufactured from foamed poly-v1nyl--chloride (RusS1 .ransliteration of formula is PKhV-l ), which replaced w E : ?k ihich was always in short supply in the USSR. the life jackets and 25X1 rings made from the polyvl:n.yi-chloride were satisfactory. .After World War !I, there was a tendency in~the MMF to build lighthouses of wood instead of stone or.concrete. This decision was apparently.based on experience; it was considered reasonably certain that lighthouses,, built of impregnated lumber would be" service- ,able for 100, years if given proper.care Although those made of stone or concrete might last 600 years, they were 5 to 10 times more'-expensive, and navigation conditions such as character of shcoree,, seal level, and sea canals were subject to considerable change in mush less time. This was especially true of the White Sea and the Caspian Sea... Such changing conditions necessitated the construction of new li hthouses and the consequent abandonment of old ones there was a Ministry project for the 25X1 construction of prefabricated, wooden lighthouses. that could be ,transported. The MMF was also endeavoring to expand, the radio lighthouse network in order to facilitate the navigation of hi s ps by means of radio pelengators. In connection with this, 25X1 he he n -. -per.-..., .... ..v.. a+ USSR. In the Volga Caspian regions there were two such radio lighthouses, at Stalingrad and Baku. 10. The Navi atian Bulletin Izvekicheniye Moreplav lyam) published by'the MIHN Served ~O 's y marit me personnel of all changes discovered in-navigation waters which might have an effect on, sailing conditions,-such as new rocks., shallow waters, sunken objects such as mines, drifting icebergs, etc.. This bulletin was also distributed to the Naval Ministry and the Ministry of Fisheries. The MMF..also had charge of the publication of the Maritime.Collision.-Prevention. Manual Pravilaa. Predu,.reezhhden a' Woven ya udov.v more - P '.w is was prepared . accor ante with-the prow sons o the international maritime collision prevention manual for passing ships, inclement weather, night sailing, etc. In addition to the above publications, the MMF was in charge of the publication of regulations for. the ..mandatory inspection of ships which was conducted semi-annually by. special commissions composed of representatives of the respective steamship companies (maritime engineering. and maritime inspgctorate branches),marritime registry, and port'authorities. 11. The MIHN was responsible for setting up the following. documents. for use on merchant vessels: a. Excerpt containing all the information on the ship that was included in the book entitled Port Vessel Re later Portovo Sudovoy Re isl ) . Each 1'II1' verse was attached o a part culax? port, and the entire Port Vessel-Register was kept by the administration of the por , -T--be excerp- kept on.the ship was.the most important document on the ship. b, Authorization to sail under the 'USSR flag (Svidetel.'stvo na Pravo Plavaniya pod Flagom Soyuza SSR) c. Crew Register ( udovaya Rol,'):contained data on all members of the crew, d. Watch Journal (Vakhtennyy Zhurna, listed all the deck, engine, elec ric, and radio equipment, Approved For Release 2009/02/18: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA001000400010-5 Approved For Release 2009/02/18: CIA-RDP80-00810A001000400010-5 '":RET/S 0? ITY INFORMATION e. Inspection sheets (Foci ul ar i )< contained notations by all inspectors of the. ship as to the condition of,equipment and reparatory measures in f:.ra -.fighting, sanitary, and .'sanitary patent" on those 6hips which had a dispensary and medical officer. f. Materiel books T/E (Tabe? ' Snabzheniya Sudna)-.contained specifications of all equipment and supplies (including food) required to be available on the ship. g. Regulation of ship's specifications (Meritel'noye Svidetel'stvo).. 25X1 contained the ship's dimensions (gabari'ty). It was issued to ships passing through the Suez and Panama canals. special type was issued to those ships.which visited ports. h. Safety Certificate (Svidetel'stvo o Bezopasnosti):was issued is compliance with the International Maritime Safety Convention to all vessels carrying more than 12 passengers. In the USSR this certificate was issued only to ships-visiting foreign waters. There were several additional documents issued by the port 25X1 authorit however? all Important documents are listed above. 25X1 12. The following color 0041P.nations were authorized f or MMF vessels: a. Black. for the hull above the water-line and yellow for weather deck structures and above; this. combination was-used for freight, passenger and freight, and passenger ships. b.. Qray for both, the hull above the water line and deck was not .widely used as-this.-particular paint was very expensive. c. White for the entire ship was used only in exceptional casep, as there was always a shortage of white paint.. Formerly the hull below the water ?lin.e was painted with red lead paint,referred to as "miniurn" or "surik4.'. The remaining supply of this paint, which. was received as US lend-lease 'during World War. Ii,. was not used for its-original purpose, but for the floors of offices' of the higher MMF personnel. . 13,. The following types of.inscriptions (Nadpisi na sudakh).were authorized by the MIHN for its vessels: -a. The name of the ship was inscribed on both sides of the prow. If the ship belonged to a line whose-ships called at foreign ports, the name in Latin characters was written below the original Russian name. . b. The name of the ship as well as its home.port was on the stern (na'podreze kormy). 0. Depth scales. (shkaly uglubleniya), used to approximate. the weight of the-cargo, appeared on.the hull. d. Plimsol marks (diski Plimsolya) were marked on the' side of the ship to indicate the maximum permissable load. " `_____.. n h 1, Disk Plimsolya - Scales e. The coat of arms of the USSR. and a red band were on 'the flannel. SECRET Approved For Release 2009/02/18: CIA-RDP80-00810A001000400010-5 Approved For Release 2009/02/18: CIA-RDP80-00810A001000400010-5 SECRET/SECT, ; ITY INFORMATION 14. The MIEN was divided. Into the following aectI on8 : o p of comprehensive reports and charts. Navigation Section (Navl,,gatsionnors turmans1c y Otdel) employed some. 1.0 engineers) including those who corrected ,compass deviation and .Nerved a.s , a body for `consulta.t1?n in the field of navigation, piloting service, etc. Control and Inspection Sec's .on (Kontrol'no-Inspektorskiy Otdel), with 12-1.5 employee,,, was responsible for the super- vision of the agencies of.the MIHN and for the ciom 41a4-.4 n c. Electrical and Radio Navigation Section (Elektro-Radio,_ NaViWatsionnyy:?tdel), which included eight radio navigators and electro-radio navigators" (sic),. was responsible for research ong and introduction of. modern navigation methods for the MMF fleet. d. Technical Supply Section (Otdel Tekhnicheskogo,Snabzheniya), with three or four employees, was charged with supplying the entire R fleet with navigation equipment. e. Accounting office had three employees. 15. The MIRN had two basic types of field agencies: executive and inspectional, 'The.executive (Ispolnitel'nyye).agencies of the MIHN were maritime inspectorates attached to all MMF steamship companiess. The maritime inspectorates were subordinate to the steamship .companies in administrative and disciplinary matters.. The wages of the employees of the maritime inspectorates were paid by the respective steamship companies.: The MIHN, however., retained.supervia,ion over... the operational direction and instruction of the inspectorate's personnel The number of personnel employed in each.inspectorate varied from 10 to.14 depending on the size of the steamship company. Normally an inspectorate of a steamship company was composed of: a. Maritime Inspectorate Administration;which included a chief,,. several senior maritime inspectors, and several other maritime inspectors.. b.. Instructors Group (Operativnaya Grupa) was composed of several captain (skipper ),instructors, ship engineer instructors, and stoker instructors. c.. Navigation Instruments (Navigatsionnyye Kamery) Workshops had navigators, radio navigators, "electro radio navigators" (sic), map correctors; navi$ation.equipment mechanics, those persons charged with correcting compass deviation, etc. 16; The executive agencies of the MIHN were responsible for the following:.... a. Providing ships with navigational equipment as specified by.' the MIIN3 b. Supervising material-maintenance of vessels, c.. Instructing officers and crews on new navigational methods d. Participating in the investigations of maritime accidents] e. Inspecting ships periodically with reference to their technical, operational, and sanitary conditions; f` . Collecting information on outstanding performances of individual vessels In order to, award honorary pennants; SECRET Approved For Release 2009/02/18: CIA-RDP80-00810A001000400010-5 Approved For Release 2009/02/18: CIA-RDP80-00810A001000400010-5 SECRET/SECURITY INFORMATION .g g. Maintaining and -repairing navigation equipment, h. Providing and correcting charts and manuals (lotsiya) for ships i. Eliminating deviation in ships' compasses. There was a mandatory check before the navigation season each.year as well as after , s.i repairs. J. Organizing watch services; k. Familiari.zing crews with the rules established for the operation of ships,, and performing periodical inspections to check on'the efficiency of such familiarization; 1. Insuring that crews knew their duties in cases-of disaster such. as shipwreck, fire; etc., and performing" periodic inspections of such training` in. Organizing and controlling lifeboat drills, n. Assuring compliance with disciplinary ,regulations for crews as set forth in the MMF disciplinary manual (Ustav Sluzhby na. $udakh Morskogo Fiotaa,,S3R) . "?-- 17.' An inspecting agency (Kontroliruyushchaya) of the M.IHN was Iocgted in each port; it was referred to as the Office of the Harbor Master., (Otdel 'Kapitana . Porta) . ' The only exception was the Fort, Control Inspectorate of the Northern Caspian Sea (Kaspiyskaya .., Inspektsiya Portovogo Nadzora Severnoy Chasti Kaspiyskogo Morya); the reason for the difference was that until' 1947 there was no seaport at Astrakhan and,since:offices of 'the harbor masters were component parts of seaports, there was .,no justification for such an office-in Astrakhan. Therefore a port control, inspectorate was set up there. When a part-of the port at Astrakhan was declared a seaport, the'State T/O Commission would not permit its .reorganization into an Office of the Harbor Master, and so it remained under the old title with the old T/0. It was located .in Astrakhan; Zayachiy Island, Factory (Zavoda.) Housing Project of the 10th Anniversary of the' - October Revolution. The Port Control Inspeotorate of the Northern Caspian Sea-was subordinate to the MIHN both operationally and administratively (the basic: difference between it and the offices of the harbor master). The ?ort Control Inspectorate was financed by the MIHN, which -,~ drew the funds from ReydTanker, Astrakhan Seaport) and ReydTekhpi,ot , all of which were' serviced by ?the Port Control Inspectorate. The Fort Co trol. Inspectorate of the Northern Caspian Sea had the'foll:owing T/Q Chief of the Inspectorate -- Sr. ?L,t ., MF, Nikolay LARIN Deputy Chief Lt. MF LODYGIN Senior Port Inspectors -- three ,Port Inspectors three Senior Roadstead Inspector. . -- one 3 All located on the 1*-Foot Roadstead on the Debarkader Roadstead Inspectors-- three Donbasi Road Inspector - one for the tour tyev Roadstead located on the Debarkader 1a Secretary --**one SECRET Approved For Release 2009/02/18: CIA-RDP80-00810A001000400010-5 Approved For Release 2009/02/18: CIA-RDP80-00810A001000400010-5 a.ti, i r a aa_:r .. tJ; t L G i J. J I.V i 3J: tk F$t e .L UN -9- 19. The harbor master. of .oes wet := components of the respective ports and in administ :sati.ve and disciplinary matters were subordinate to the port captain pia chi _ '.r3ik aorta). Operational direction, however, was the respoxsibiii..ty of the MINN. The harbor master offices were f Inanced by the port administration. The harbor master offices i as wea.i as the Port Control Inspectorate in Astrakhan) were respone' ie for the. following.a a. Controlling ships' supplies of equipment as prescribed by the ships' equipment charts (Tabel' Snabzhe.niya Sudov. Morskogo Flota)~ b. Providing vessels with the required navigational equipment as well as supervising its maintenance) c. Supervising-handling of ships' documents and the manner-in which entries were made) d. Providing vessels with crews; this entailed also control over the qualifications of crew members) e. Participating in the investigation of maritime accidents) f. Inspecting vessels' technical and sanitary services. Results of such inspections were rated excellent, very good, satis- factory, or unsatisfactory? Examining periodically all crew members, including the captain, as to their knowledge. of the current maritime regulations and the iMF service manuals f h.. Inspecting-periodically the training of crews in the event of disaster, rt, Providing vessels with the required permaneht documents ~. Providing vessels with the authorization to sail (Pravo ?,Otkhoda iz Porta) each time the vessels left port, k. Detaining vessels in ports . whenever the condition of the vessel warranted or when the ship's documents were not in or-der l. 1. Participating in the examination-commission for the.promotion of personnels m. Providing the officers with proper. licenses (diplomas) and crew members with official certificates authorizing' them to hold their positions. This was true of all personnel except those graduates of navigational and equivalent lam' schools, who received their licenses upon graduation. Approved For Release 2009/02/18: CIA-RDP80-00810A001000400010-5