(SANITIZED)THE RUMANIAN MERCHANT MARINE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A004800620001-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 7, 2007
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: September 22, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

This is UNEVALUATED Information
This Document contains Information affecting the Ma
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 ofitscontents
by taw. The reproduction of this form is p
REPORT
0. OF. PAGES
REQUIREMENT NO.
REFERENCES
=- EVAWAn0NS IN tMift, REPORT ARE DEFHNITIV
#E0R KEY SEE REVERSES --: .
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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
rhingEgn Disfribetioi . Jpdicatsd BY ' - Field -Distribution By
"#".)
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THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
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A. This docimnerxt was 20,-t0 c t~th the tomes;~3~ ntecl in bl'e m!
parclvnent-:I.a.1 e yellow, paper. It consisted soi two n?res, with
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text and s r L l en data dLl on the of -the first was prsnic,] page
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It VT-:s prepare3 for 90 cThys and ha l about 92-9L oas:e . it ; ,ammped
and sealed by l,e Harbor Plaster no be t o.'cen out with-
oi t bre %k_i.iig
bia it ,ok[-n a.lr I Igh
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GUNFlJJJ JIIJL
treason. It had,.a hard.. thick cover (cardboard), either gray or black,
about 20 x Ito cm.
The document carried information about the ship as follows: an the first
page, the name of the ,ship, ownership,' `flag under.which it sailed, name
of its Captain, ;and, characteristics of;'t1 e ship extracted from the 1,:ation-
ali.tyr Paper. Tt also contained the nuxnl xd'Q6i of -members in the crew.
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When in a Rumanian port, everyone aboard a Rumanian merchant ships from the
Captain down, on going ashore surrendered his Seaman's Book (Livretul de
Marinas) to the frontier Post Authority against a green pass (pascal de la
P'unctul de Frontiera), which he exchanged for-the-Seaman's book again upon
return on board ship. The green pass (See enclosure G) was the most
important identity-paper for seamen. It'was even more important than the
citizens' Identification Card (Buletinul de Identitate)
Diff
.
erence of
rank was not indicated under the item '"functia"" (Function), For all ranks the
word "'marinar" (Seaman) was used, With this green pass a Seaman's Identifica-
tion Card (Legitimatia deiaarinar) was also. carried, which had a photograph
of the bearer attached to it. These two documents were sufficient for all
purposes of identification for active seamen ashore,
a
r
p CL n, port, Arr sal
of a ship was telegraphed in advance to the port by the ship's harm c ar:cncy in
Constants In case f t
? o
A HIL- .iltiari identified herself u on
r
'
a s orm or other delay at spa, the ship's master,
who was the only person authorized to send messages, informed the agent by
radio of the length of delay and expected time of arrival in port
The ship identified herself by raising four flags when arriving in port.
Each of the flags represented a letter and signified a word, For instance
the 1/3 SULIINA had the l tters "Y", "Q", "6"2 and fill' assigned to it. "1"
stood for Rumania; "Q" stood for the kind of Vessel, that is coastal
vessel or ocean-going vessel; "S" stood for the compare to rhich the ship
belonged, SOV1 i-4MINSPO 72; and "I" stood far the ship's name--SULINA.
Nessages3 when necessary, were sent by wireless in th
l
e c
ear, but code
letter combinations were used: for example, for the company "P?1D"; for
the master of the ship 'INC"; for the General Director of SOVROiTR1NSPORT
"G", and fir the Special and Technical Directorates 'IL". A message read:
"111C of 171'!, watch motor Sulzer, signed "L".
that the a (.,Uvitios of a r,?an aboard ship had to e watched. this meant
ri ? ?s v, ~ s y The mmessage
was s:ned to which stood both ,:or the Political Directorate and the
Technical Directorate, An uninitiated person might take the message as
referring to a motor, but the Captain knew that it referred to one
member of the crew. There were instructions which foi'bt.c'e discussion of
of money matters over tl-.e ship's radio, as well as political matters,
dissatisfaction among the crest, or the Captain's dissatisfaction with any-
thing. Punishment for breaking these regulations was five years'
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imprisonment. All such matters had to be settled in Constanta when the ship
returned. If the ship needed money before returning to Constanta, it sent
a message asking for' the "usual amount" to be relea.ued br the agent abroad.
Radio communicatior3'between Rumanian ships=had to go through Constanta.
Direct communication was prohibited.
Only when a merchant ship arrived in port was it boarded by a Control Commission
.(Coinisia de Control). This Commission was composed of a SOVROMTRANSP0P ^,7ency
representative, a customs representative, a representative of the frontier point
(Punctul de frontiera), a representative of the Harbor Master (Capitania de Port)
and a medical officer. Each of these officials had his particular function,
The agency representative asked for cargo documents, manifesto; the customs
representative checked dutiable goods; the frontier Host representative asked
for the seamen's identification cards., the Harbor Master's representative asked
for ship's documents and crew's documents, and the medical officer checked
health conditions. Under no other conditions could any authority board the ship
without the express permission of the Captian.
The Political officer (Secretarul Politic) on board ship was a memhcr of the
crew, F
e represented the interests of the CP, watching the crew: ~~embors and
their political attitude according to instuctions he received from the CP.
He gave directives to CP members at meetings, open and closed, which were held
once a month and which lasted not more than one hour, At open meetings the
entire crew was present. At the closed CP meetings only Party members were
present. For all meetings aboard ship the Captain's permission had to be
obtained. The Secretary submitted to the Captain agenda of the meeting and the
Captain had the authority to change the agenda by-eliminating certain tonics.
The meetings could be held only after'1700 hours and if they did not seriously
interfere with the routine work aboard ship. In addition to CP meetings
Seamen's Union meetings were also held under same conditions.
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M)3-
(1)
After two years at sea he took a practical examination at tie Navai bciiool in
Constanta, upon completion of which he became an able-bodied seaman and got
his seaman's card. (carte de marinar).
Another two years at sea, followed by. a practical',examination in the Naval
school at Constanta, promoted an able-bodied seaman to the rank of Helmsman
(timonier), and he received a helmsman's booklet (Brevet de Timonier),
Another two years at sea and a practical examination in the above school
brought a man the title of Boatswain (Sef de Echipaj) and a boatswain's
booklet (Brevet Sef de Echipaj).
Another two years at sea follavred by a practical and theoretical examination
promoted the man to the title of Officer Second Class.."with a booklet of
Officer Second Class (Brevet-Ofiter Clasa Doua),
After two more years at sea and a successful theoretical and practical examina
tion in the Naval School 'of, Constanta, th^ man became a First Class Officer
and received a First Class Officer's booklet (Brevet de Ofiter Clasa Intaia).
Another two years at sea, followed by a successful examination, promoted a-
man to the title of Coastal Navigation Captain and he received the booklet of
Captain of Coastal Navigation (Brevet de Capiain de Cabotaf),or Master.
After two more years at sea, and a successful examination, the man became
Extra-Master and received .the booklet of Extra-Master (Brevet de Caputan pe
Cursa Lunga).
A young man, in order to become an Extra-Master in the merchant marine, thus
had to spend lL years at sea and take seven examinations, four of which were
onlyrractical, and three, for officer's rank, which were both practical and
theoretical.
man joining the merchant.marine.had to serve two years on the sea as deck
assistant (asistent de punte) in order to become an able-bodied seaman,
(2) A young man who finished the two-year course at the Naval School entered
the merchant marine as an officer of the Second Class. He had to spend
eight years at sea and pass the required examinations for all grades in
order to become an Extra-Master.
(3) A man, in order to qualify for the title of Radio Operator (Radio Telegrafist),
if he had attended Naval School, had to spend six years at sea and take an
examination every two years. A man who had not attended the Naval School had
to become an able-bodied seaman, then two years as radio assistant and, after
a successful examination in the Naval School, both theoretical and practical,
he obtained the booklet of Radio Assistant (Brevet Radio Asistant), After
two more years he became a Radio Telegraphist Second Class and rot a booklet
for that title (Brevet de Radio Telegrapfist Clasa ')oua). Ttc. years nre
entitled him to the title Radio Telegraphist First Class (Radio fi .ografist
Cla sa Intaia). Another two years and a successful exami-stion brought him the
title of Chief Radio Telegraphist (Sea'. Radio Telegr I,i.)
(1k) All examinations for candidates for diplomas for deck, radio, and engine
service, were given in the spring or fall of e~~z.h year in the Naval School
in Constanta, before an examination commission, (Comisin do Icaininare pentru
Brevete), The commission was composed of a chairman, who was a Navy Admiral;
a secretary who was a Navy' Commander; the Harbor Master of Constants
an Extra-
,
Master; a Professor of mathematics in the Naval School; `a professor of foreign
languages (each. officer had to learn at least two foreign languages ? one of the
languages for radio operators being English); an engine specialist, a Navy
Commander; a radio officer, and a`physician. The examination was divided as
follows: First came the physical examination by the doctor. This was followed
by three written examinations, one each day, and three oral examinations, again
.one each day, One examination covered general navigation, the second mathematics
and the third, sea commerce, The three-day oral examination covered general
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history, international and national marine law, mathematics, astrononV,
loading and unloading, commerce, construction, navigation, ship maneuvering
and mechanics, engine, loading, weights, etc.
A radio operator had to take in addition a three-day examination which covered
th
ma
ematics, and a. general and a specialized examination on radio communicatio
as well as an examination on the English language: On the:-first day the radio
operator took an examination in Morse code sending and receiving; on the
second daffy on repair of radio apparatus; on the third dy, dismantlement and
assembling of radio apparatus., showing how it works.
Every ship's officer, with the exception of those who finished the Naval School
,
had to serve as a common seaman. Naval School training was considered sufficient
to cover two years' training at sea. Students at?the Naval School came out as
Second Lieutenants in the Navy (Sublocotenent de Marina).
Differences in sleeping accommodatiahe.
Officers had private rooms. The Captain had, in addition to a room,
a private*bath and a small salon. The crew had two beds in each cabin
and one shower f?r,,. each two cabins. The space alloted for sleeping
quarters fo?:=therew was below the standard set up by international law,
namely, eight cubic meters per person or 16 cu. m. for each cabin holding
two persons, because the shower room occupied e4,i cubic meters of space.
Thus, each cabin occupied 10 cu.m., which space was too small,
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The Captain could take rescued foreign survivors' to the port of their
choosing. He could not take them t
a Ru
ani
o
m
ans Satellite, or Soviet
port if they did not care to.go there, that is, if the rescue occurred
outside of the territorial waters of these lands. The Captain had to
give the rescued persons a bed,: clothing, and double ration of food.
When arranging for their transportation to their chosen destination,
the Captain had to bier second-class tickets for the officers. A rescued
person, after he had been placed in a cabin all alone.and asked to write
in six-copies a statement of his on free will concerning his wishes
and destination. Thereupon the Captain, in'front of the ship's officers,
asked him three times if that was his own decision and., upon receiving
an affirmative answer, the copies were distributed. The original was
kept on board ship, some copies were sent to SOVRO7TRANSPORT
o
i
, s
me g
ven
to the, Port authorities of the country, and.._nne copy was called Protoculul
d
A
A
e
jutor. si
sistanta Mutuala pe Mare peritru cei Sinistrati (Protocol
of Mutual Aid and Assistance for the Distressed on the Spa).
CONFIDENTIAL
The officers on board ship observed the regulations of Article 8 of
Regulamentul Serviciului la Bord, which stated that the officers must
maintain friendly relations with the crew without losing the necessary
distance
A Ruaanian Captain had to aid arV ship, foreign or domestic, in distress.
The penalty for not coming to the aid of a ship in need was 20 years'
imprisonment under the law for social crimes (Legea r:rimilor Sociale) of.
1888. Tribunalul Naritim in Constanta decided-on legal matters concerning
the crew, and the same court in Galati had jurisdiction over all Danube
shipping. The highest court was Curtea Suprema Maritima in Buchareste.
From this court appeal could be made to the Intermational court at.The
Nhpue, The Netherlands.
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