MESZHART NAVIGATION COMPANY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A003100060007-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Sequence Number: 7
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2006/11/27: CIA-RDP80-0081OA003100060007-4
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
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.
SECRET/CONTROL ., U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
Hungary
HASzhart Navigation Company
REPORT I
DATE DISTR.
NO. OF PAGES 4
REQUIREMENT NO. RD
REFERENCES
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
11 December 1953
1. History of Me hart.
The Hungarian-Soviet Navigation Company (Heszhart) was established in 1946
25X1 and took over the property (including ships) of the former Austro-Hungarian
Danube Steamship Company (DDSG) when the former Austrian branch was declared
to be German property by the Soviets and was expropriated for their use. In
25X1 the new company the Soviets have retained control over 51% of the stock and
the Hungarians over the remaining 49%. The Hungarian River and Sea Naviga-
tion Company (Hefter), a lesser branch of Meszhart and a part of which the
25X1 Soviets also controlled, was joined to Heszhart in 1948 by a Hungarian Govern-
dent decree. Now there remains, beside Heszhe,rt, only the Balaton Steamship
Co. (BHRT) which transports passengers only or. Lake Balatan, is under control
of of the National Railroads, and is, in comparison to Heszhart, relatively
unimportant. Both companies are subordinate, technically and organization-
wise, to the Central Office of the Transport and Hail 1inistry.
2. Location.
The management of 14szhart is located in what was formerly the administration
building of the Mef tern Budapest IV9 Apacai?.C:seri-Jifnos-ut. 11 (formerly the
Maria-Valeria ut.).
3, Personnel.
The General Director is a Soviet citizen and engineer, Vladimir Krutikov.
25X1 As a rule, the post of general director changes once or twice a year, The
Deputy Director's post is held the one-time Chief of the Personnel Division
of the DDSG, Mihaly Pat
25X1 Part Secretary of Ne5zhart is J6zsef Na
Ian
AVH major. They present, Chief of the ersonne- ivision is
AVH officer, Janos Koracs.
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(Note: Washington Distribution Indicated By "X"; Field Distribution By ".ft"
I REC ORR EV X
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Organization
a. The Director General's Office consists of the following divisions:
1) Personnel Division
2) Administrative Division
3) Finance Division
4) Technical Division
5) Supply Division
b. The ships of Meszhart are divided into five groups:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Danube River and Sea-going Ships
Motor Ships
Diesel and Electric Motor Ships (Tugs)
Steam Tugs
Propeller-driven Ships
5. Ships.
a. Danube River and Sea-going Ships
In this group are included the largest ships belonging to the
company. They are equipped with diesel motors and are seaworthy.
They are as follows:
M.S. BUDAPEST 1200 tons 460 HP diesel
M.S. SZEGED 2000 tons 800 HP diesel
M.S. DEBRECEN 2000 tons 800 HP diesel
M.S. TISZA 1100 tons 460 HP diesel
During the next three years it is planned to build six more motor-
ships of the same class as those listed above. Three of the new
ships will be of the TISZA class with a gross displacement of 1100
tons and three of a larger construction with a gross displacement
of 2300 tons each.
b. Danube River Motor Ships.
To this group
belong the following ships:
M.S.
LEHEL
400 tons
800 HP
M.S.
ETELE
400 "
800 "
M.S.
MAGYAR
400
800
M.S.
HUNOR
400 "
800 "
M.S.
BUDA
400 "
800 "
M.S.
EL OD
400 "
800 "
M.S.
B
ATA
300 "
240
M.S.
G
W
300 "
240 "
M.S. I-11
250 "
120 "
N. S . 9-1
120 "
120 "
c. Tugboats,
Some of these boats have diesel motors and some have electric motors.
They are all driven by side-mounted paddlewheels. Those boats driven
by electric motors, which in turn are powered by three 400 HP diesel
motors, are the following:
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BAI)OSS
S ZECZNYI
1200 HP
1200 "
Driven by diesel motors are the paddlewheeled boats below:
ESZ;PRGOM
1100 HP
W
CS
800
GY
R
800
SZAMOS
350 n
The MAROS, a sistership of the SZANFJS, has been renamed the JAROSLAV
and now flies the Soviet flag.
Powered by a gasoline motor:
BADACSONY 80 HP
d. Steam Tugs,
Powered by coal-fired motors and paddlewheels:
53T ~ 2 stacks 720 0 HP
M 2 "
HALADI S 2 n 6550 "
SZIGLIGET
1 stack
TIHANY
1
"
4
1
"
VASA
LYI PAL
1
"
ZOLTT
1.
"
SAJO
1.
'r
B
O
1.
"
K R
S
1.
"
GARAM
1.
"
IPOLY
1.
"
CSABA
1
550 rr
550 "
300 "
240 "
240 "
220 "
220
220 "
220
110
110
/
In addition to the above there are also the RAKOSI MATYAS, D6LIBI~.B,
and M-III which use the Tisza River and about which no further
information i:; available.
e. Propeller Driven Ships.
These are light merchandise-transport vessels with screw propellers.
They ply the., Karns River between its mouth and B6kesszentandras and
comprise a total of two or three ships.
f. Towboats.
The Meszha:r?t presently has more than 250 towboats. These can be broken
down approximately as follows:
20 towboats
of 1000
tons
180 towboats
of 700
tons
50 towboats
of 250
to 500 tons
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2 " 650 "
S F2 " 650 "
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6. Ship Radios.
The ships of Msszhart are, with the exception of the first four named
sea-going vessels, not equipped with radios. Reports indicate that it
is planned to have the ships equipped with radios by early 1954. In this
manner central coordination and control of the shipping traffic will be
made possible. This control has heretofore been carried out by the radio
equipped Port Command which is in constant touch with the AVH Central Office.
There are five such port commands: in Budapest, Szob, Gonyu, Nbhgcs, and
Szeged.
7. Wat erwavs.
a. The main traffic of Nbazhart is on the Danube which as a shipping
artery is again open and navigable throughout Hungary. Dredging is
being undertaken, particularly in the areas north of Budapest near
God and south of Hdrossziget where the dredgings are being dumped.
b. On the other hand, the traffic on the Tisza River is insignificant and
dependent on the season. Traffic here is limited to freight between
Tokaj and Szeged and in the summer to paeeen~g or traffic betw,en
Tisza-Bura and Szo n9k; Szolnok and'Csorgr&d; and Ceongrad and Szeged.
Furthermore, the Koros (a tributary of the Tisza) earr~.es flat-bottomed
boats as far upstream as Gyoma. Near BAesszentandr s is a dam which
supplies water to many canals. At present this canal network is not
navigable but work is to be undertaken to remedy this.
o. On Lake Balaton the traffic is open only during the summer and as
already mentioned, is preponderant) passenger traffic. Meszhart is
also planning a route along the Sid Canal between Lake Balaton and
Szeksza?rd near the Danube. In spite of considerable work, however,
this canal is not yet ready for traffic. Ships of between 100 and 120
tons are to be able to use this waterway.
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Approved For Release 2006/11/27: CIA-RDP80-00810A003100060007-4