THE MOVEMENT OF SHIPPING AND CARGOES INTO CAMBODIA DURING 1965

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78T02095R000800070097-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 18
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 1, 2008
• Sequence Number: 97
• Publication Date: March 1, 1966
• Content Type: IM

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THE MOVEMENT OF -MIPPI T _ A. - _C. RGO
TTRING 1965
INTO CAMBODIA-]
DIRECTORATE OF INTELLIGENCE
Office of Research and Reports
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Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1. Cambodian Seaports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2. Cargo Discharged at Cambodian Ports During 1965 . . . . . 3
A. Sihanoukville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
B. Phnom Penh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
C. Lesser Ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1. International Traffic Through the Chief Ports
of Cambodia, 1964 and 1965 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2. Ship Arrivals and Cargo Discharged at Sihanoukville
and Phnom Penh, by Flag, 1965 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Cargo Discharged at Sihanoukville and Phnom Penh,
by Country of Loading, 1965 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
4. Petroleum and Dry Cargo Traffic Through Phnom Penh,
1964 and 1965 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Illustrations
Figure 1. Cambodia,: The Port of Sihanoukville
(photograph) following page . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Figure 2. Cambodia: Ports and Connecting Sea. Routes
(map) following page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
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THE MOVEMENT OF SHIPPING AND CARGOES
INTO CAMBODIA. DURING 1965*
Summary
Most of the seaborne cargo arriving in Cambodia passes
through one of the country's only two significant ports --
Sihanoukville on the Gulf of Siam or Phnom Penh on the
Mekong River. In 1965, at least 275 ships called at Sihanouk-
ville and discharged approximately 265, 000 tons of cargo,
most of it dry cargo. At Phnom Penh, 423 ships called and
discharged about 279, 000 tons of cargo -- 204, 000 tons of
POL and 75, 000 tons of dry cargo.
Although only 22 of the ships that called at Sihanoukville
in 1965 were of Communist registry, 65 percent of the car-
goes discharged were loaded in Communist ports. Because
of regulations on shipping proceeding up the Mekong River
to Phnom Penh imposed by the government of South Vietnam
in October 1964 and January 1965, no Communist-flag ships
called at Phnom Penh in 1965, and only one cargo was dis-
charged there after loading at a Communist port. The regu-
lations on Mekong shipping probably contributed to the
decline in the volume of dry cargo discharged at Phnom Penh
in 1965 and to the increase in the volume discharged at
Sihanoukville.
It is difficult to make an accurate estimate of the volume
of military cargo discharged in Cambodia in 1965 because
approximately 35 percent of the dry cargo discharged was
unidentified. Of the 263, 000 tons of dry cargo discharged
at Sihanoukville, 110, 000 tons were unidentified; of the
75, 000 tons of dry cargo discharged at Phnom Penh, 15, 000
tons were unidentified. The few identified military cargoes
* The estimates and conclusions in this memorandum repre-
sent the best judgment of this Office as of 1 March 1966.
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that moved to Cambodia during the year were discharged at
Sihanoukville and apparently were intended for delivery
to the armed forces of Cambodia. Three of these military
cargoes originated in Communist China and one each in
Czechoslovakia and France.
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1. Cambodian Seaports
Cambodia ha,s only two significant seaports, Sihanoukville on the
Gulf of Siam and Phnom Penh on the Mekong River almost 200 miles from
the sea,. Sihanoukville, which began operations in 1960, is a, modern
port capable of handling cargo liners up to approximately 15,000 dead-
weight tons (DWT) (see Figure 1). Phnom Penh is a ,much older port
which can handle only vessels up to 6,000 DWT because of draft limita-
tions. Although more ships called at Phnom Penh in 1965 than at
Sihanoukville, 423 compared with 275, Sihanoukville handled a, greater
volume of cargo, 755,000 tons compared with 592,000 tons at Phnom Penh
(see Table 1). At both ports the volume of cargoes loaded exceeds the
volume of cargoes discharged. For this reason it is not uncommon for
ships coming into these ports to be in ballast or only partly loaded.
Such ships usually load export cargoes of rice, maize, wood, or rubber.
Only three of the lesser ports in Cambodia are known to handle foreign
trade cargoes -- the twin ports of Tonle Bet and Kompong,Cham upstream
from Phnom Penh on the Mekong, and Kampot on the Gulf of Siam. For
the locations of ports in Cambodia, see the map, Figure 2.
2. Cargo Discharged at Cambodian Ports During 1965
A. Sihanoukville
The merchant ships that called at Sihanoukville during 1965
included tramps that arrived in ballast to load export cargoes; large
cargo liners from Western and Eastern Europe (mostly French, Dutch, and
Yugoslav); small liners from Singapore and Hong Kong; and tramps that
arrived to discharge cement, coal, and a variety of other cargoes.
Although Communist ships made only 22 calls at Sihanoukville in 1965,
50 of the 249 calls by Free World ships were made by ships under Com-
munist charter. At least 40 of the calls were made by tramps under
time charter to Sinofra,cht, the Chinese Communist chartering agency.
Most of the ships under Chinese charter flew the Greek, British, or
Norwegian flags. Twelve calls were made by Soviet, Dutch, and Norwegian
tramps under charter to North Vietnam. A detailed breakdown of ship
arrivals and cargo deliveries at Sihanoukville during 1965, by flag, is
shown in Table 2.
About 65 percent of the 265,000 tons of cargo discharged at
Sihanoukville during 1965 was loaded in Communist ports. The largest
amounts came from Communist China, (79,000 tons) and North Vietnam
(45,000 tons). Significant quantities were also loaded in Bulgaria,
(19,000 tons) and the USSR (18,000 tons). The countries of loading,
where known, for the cargoes discharged at Sihanoukville during 1965
are shown in Table 3.
The total tonnage discharged in Sihanoukville during 1965, by
commodity, was as follows:
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Thousand
Metric Tons
Cement
79
Coal
29
Metal products
13
Rubber (for transshipment)
12
Foodstuffs
9
Chemicals and explosives
5
Roasted pyrites
3
POL in drums
2
Other general and
miscellaneous dry cargo
3
Unidentified cargo
110
Total
265
All of the cement delivered at Sihanoukville came from Communist
countries, the largest amount from North Vietnam. Lebanese, Soviet, and
British ships moved most of this cement. The coal delivered to Siha,nouk-
ville came from Communist China and Thailand in French, Lebanese, and
Greek ships. Most of the metal products delivered at Sihanoukville came
from Communist China and North Vietnam, in most cases on Greek and
British ships.
The rubber discharged in Sihanoukville came from Indonesia in
small Panamanian freighters. It apparently was brought to Cambodia, so
that it could be documented as rubber of Cambodian origin before being
shipped to Singapore, where the importation of Indonesian rubber is pro-
hibited.
Although there is no evidence that military cargoes reached
Phnom Penh during 1965, either openly or covertly, a number of military
cargoes were discharged at Sihanoukville. At least three Chinese Com-
munist, one Czechoslovak, and one French ship took part in these de-
liveries. It appears that most or all of the cargoes were intended for
delivery to the armed forces of Cambodia. They included Skyraider air-
craft from France; material from Czechoslovakia. for a. small arms plant;
and machine guns, mortars, and recoilless weapons from Communist China..
Although the exact; tonnage of the military cargoes is unknown, the
magnitude of these shipments is suggested by the total tonnages of
identified military cargoes and unidentified cargoes discharged by
ships known to be carrying arms or suspected of carrying them, as
shown in the following tabulation:
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ANDAMAN
ISLANDS
(India)
NICOBAR
ISLANDS
(India)
CAMBODIA
PORTS
AND CONNECTING
SEA ROUTES
*KUALA
LUMPUR
SIHANOUKVILLE-HAIPHONG
1,270 NM spratly
L00000'r Island
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Country of Origin
and Flag
Metric Tons
Czechoslovakia,
800
France
67
Communist China,
11,252
12,119
A number of French cargo liners discharged explosives loaded in Western
Europe, but it is not known whether they were for civilian or military
use.
More is known about the nationality of the ships that carried the
110,000 tons of cargo listed as unidentified than is known about the
countries at which the cargoes were loaded. French, Greek, British,
Panamanian, and Chinese Communist ships carried most of these cargoes.
The countries of loading for 63,000 tons of unidentified cargo are known.
Communist China,, Singapore, and North Vietnam together account for over
one-half of this amount. Much of the cargo from Communist China. con-
sisted of construction materials, chemicals, and consumer goods for
which no specific data on tonnage are available. It is likely that the
47,000 tons of unidentified cargo for which no data, on countries of load-
ing are available includes rubber from Indonesia, liner cargo from
Western Europe, and additional consumer goods from Communist China.
Under the terms of a, tripartite agreement signed by Cambodia,
Vietnam, and Laos in 1954, ships flying the flags of the contracting
countries, and of the countries which recognize these countries diplo-
matically, are to be allowed freedom of navigation on the Mekong. This
has special significance for seagoing ships bound for Phnom Penh because
the mouth and lower reaches of the Mekong are in South Vietnam. Until
late in 1964, South Vietnam did little to interfere with ships proceed-
ing up the Mekong to Phnom Penh. A pilot and a, customs official normally
boarded the ship near the mouth of the river and accompanied it to the
Cambodian border. Cargo manifests were examined in a, cursory fashion,
and no attempts were made to inspect cargo. The situation changed in
October 1964, when the government of South Vietnam issued a, new decree
governing transit traffic on the Mekong. This decree included the fol-
lowing stipulations:
1. Commercial vessels were required to apply at
the appropriate South Vietnamese customs office (Vung
Tau for ships going up the river and Tan Chau for ships
coming down) for authorization to transit the South
Vietnamese sector of the river.
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2. No authorizations were permitted to ships
(a) en route from Communist ports, (b) flying the
flags of countries which do not recognize the govern-
ment of South Vietnam (applied, at first, to all Com-
munist ships but not to Cambodian ships), or (c)
carrying weapons, ammunition, or commodities of
military significance without advance permission from
the Ministry of Defense.
3. A South Vietnamese pilot must be aboard at
all times between the mouth of the Mekong and the
Cambodian border.
4. South Vietnamese officials were authorized
to inspect cargoes and customs papers, to seal holds,
and, if necessary, to take commercial ships to Saigon
for inspection and sealing.
During the first two months that the decree was in effect,
South Vietnamese officials confiscated a consignment of cartridge belts
aboard a, Japanese ship bound for Phnom Penh and prevented six other
Free World ships (mostly Japanese) from entering the river -- four carry-
ing cement from the USSR and Communist China and two carrying chemicals
of possible military significance.
In January 1965 the government of South Vietnam introduced the
following changes in its regulations for shipping on the Mekong:
1. Cambodian vessels were denied access to the
river because the government of Cambodia does not
recognize the government of South Vietnam.
2. No authorizations were to be given to ships
that have called at Communist ports since leaving
their home ports.
3. All ships carrying cargoes of Communist
origin regardless of flag and port of loading were
to be detained with their holds sealed until the
South Vietnamese Ministry of Defense investigated
the circumstances.
During March 1965, South Vietnamese officials enforced the
regulations forbidding the use of the lower Mekong by Cambodian Ships
and denied access to the two small Cambodian freighters that normally
operate between Singapore and Phnom Penh. Beginning in April, however,
the South Vietnamese stopped enforcing the regulations, and the Cam-
bodian ships resumed their former activity on the Mekong.
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Although it may not be entirely attributable to the South Viet-
namese regulations on Mekong shipping, both the number of calls at
Phnom Penh by dry cargo ships in 1965 and the volume of dry cargoes
discharged from seagoing ships there were considerably lower than in
1964. The number of calls by dry cargo ships dropped from 372 in 1964
to 316 in 1965 and the volume of dry cargoes discharged dropped, from
147,000 to 75,000 tons, as shown in Table 4.
The total volume of cargo discharged at Phnom Penh in 1965 was
279,000 tons, slightly more than that discharged at Sihanoukville.
This tonnage can be broken down as follows:
Thousand
Metric Tons
POL
204
General and miscellaneous
dry cargo
60
Unidentified cargo
15
Total
279
Most of the POL delivered at Phnom Penh consisted of petroleum
products delivered in bulk from one of two depots, an Esso storage
facility on the Indonesian island of Bintan off Singapore and a. Shell
storage facility at Nha, Be on the outskirts of Saigon. Approximately
40,000 tons came from Bintan and 155,000 tons from Nha Be. The Esso
products were carried by a single Panamanian tanker operating on a,
shuttle basis, and the Shell products largely by two French tankers,
also operating on a, shuttle basis. In addition to the bulk shipments
there were a. number of deliveries of lubricants in drums from Singapore
by Panamanian and French freighters.
The 60,000 tons of "general and miscellaneous" dry cargo con-
sisted of identified general cargo for which manifests are available
and of miscellaneous cargoes, including cement, metals, asphalt, and
foodstuffs in relatively small amounts. The most important single
source of general cargo was Japan. Most of the 33,000 tons of general
and miscellaneous cargoes from Japan arrived on Japanese cargo liners.
There were also significant quantities of general cargo loaded at the
entrepot ports of Singapore and Hong Kong. The actual origins of these
cargoes cannot be determined in most cases, but it can be presumed that
much of it had been discharged in Singapore and Hong Kong by liners
from Eastern and Western Europe. Most of the dry cargoes coming from
Singapore were carried by small Panamanian, Dutch, French, or Cambodian
liners. More than one-half of the dry cargoes arriving from Hong Kong
were carried. by the Japanese liners that bring in cargo from Japan. The
remainder was carried by small Panamanian, Cambodian, or British liners
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and tramps. A breakdown, by country of loading and by flag, of the
15,000 tons of unidentified cargoes discharged at Phnom Penh shows
a, pattern very close to that just described for general and misce7.-
laneous cargoes.
C. Lesser Ports
The three lesser ports in Cambodia that handle foreign trade
cargoes are concerned principally with the export of basic commodities
produced in Cambodia. The two Mekong River ports, Kompong Cham and
Tonle Bet, export rubber, and Kampot exports pepper. Kompong Cham and
Tonle Bet also handle some incoming cargoes carried by seagoing ships.
Some of the tankers that sail up the Mekong discharge petroleum cargoes
at these ports, and some of the small freighters that come up the river
to load rubber also discharge small consignments of general cargo,.
Kompong Cham also receives small amounts of general cargo on river craft
that load in South Vietnam. It is likely that some cargoes are dis-
charged at Kampot, but there is little reporting on either their nature
or their volume.
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International Traffic Through the Chief Ports of Cambodia a/
1964 and 1965
the totals shown.
b. Including only arrivals of seagoing ships from foreign ports.
c. Including cargo in transit for Laos.
~/
Cargo Discharged
Cargo Loaded
Total Cargo Volume
Port
Ship Arrivals J
(Thousand Metric Tons)
(Thousand Metric Tons)
(Thousand Metric Tons)
1964
1965
1964
1965
1964
1965
1964
1965
Sihanoukville 237
275
187
265
528
490
715
755
Phnom Penh
497
423
322 c/
279 c/
393
313
715
592
Total
734
698
509
544
921
803
1,430
1,350
n llafa h -tra l'1PPn ~n-rlorl +n +Yvoc ~m,i+ir + 7i 4+ U 1 7, a _ ___ ._ i _aa i_
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Ship Arrivals and Cargo Discharged at Sihanoukville and Phnom Penh, by Flag a/
1965
Ship Arrivals ii/ Cargo Discharged (Metric Tons)
Flag Sihanoukville Phnom Penh Total Sihanoukville Phnom Penh Total
Communist countries 22 22 60,400 60,400
USSR 9 9 27,200 27,200
Eastern Europe
Bulgaria 4 4 11,100 11,100
Czechoslovakia 1 1 799 799
Poland 2 2 5,200 5,200
Communist China 6 6 16,100 16,100
Free World 249 421 670 203,000 279,000 482,000
Cambodia
?9
26
35
2,960
2,870
5,840
France
62
111
173
38,600
153,000
192,000
Greece
15
15
29,200
29,200
India
4
4
Italy
1
1
Japan
20
52
72
5,370
50,000
55,400
Lebanon
7
7
28,300
28,300
Liberia
3
3
6
1,250
1,250
Malaya
1
1
9,920
9,920
Morocco
1
1
Netherlands
8
13
21
1,650
10,100
11,800
Norway
16
2
18
16,700
1,310
18,000
Panama
48
170
218
28,300
60,200
88,500
Switzerland
4
4
United Kingdom
31
42
73
32,000
1,450
33,400
United States
2
2
West Germany
2
2
Yugoslavia
17
17
8,580
8,580
Total
275
423
698
265,000
279,000 c/
544,000
a. Data have been rounded to three significant digits. Because of rounding, components may not add
to the totals shown.
b. Including only arrivals of seagoing ships from foreign ports.
c. Including cargo in transit for Laos.
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Table 3
Cargo Discharged at Sihanoukville and Phnom Penh
by Country of Loading a/
1965
Port of Discharge
Country of Loading
Sihanoukville
Phnom Penh
Total
Communist countries
173,000
1,310
175,000
North Vietnam
11.5,1+00
1,310 b/
46,700
North Korea
10,800
10,800
USSR
18,100
18,100
Eastern Europe
Bulgaria
19,300
19,300
Rumania
299
299
Poland
10
10
Communist China
79,1+00
79,1+00
Free World
36,300
278, 000
311+, 000
France
920
920
Hong Kong
7,710
13,000
20,700
India
7,360
7,360
Indonesia
11,000
39,800
50,900
Japan
448
1+5,11.00
45,900
Singapore
8,960
15,500
21+,500
South Vietnam
1+90
157,000
157,000
Thailand
1,1.90
1,1-90
West Germany
3,310
3,310
Yugoslavia
1,890
1,890
Unidentified
55,100
55,100
Total
265,000
279,000 c/
51+1+, 000
a. In some cases the country of loading is the same as the country of
origin. However, in many cases it is the country at which the cargo
was offloaded for transshipment. In such cases the country of origin
is often unknown. Data have been rounded to three significant digits.
Because of rounding, components may not add to the totals shown.
b. It is not certain why South Vietnamese authorities permitted this
ship to sail up the Mekong. Its most recent port of call had been
Haiphong, and under the October 19611- regulations in effect at that
time ships whose most recent port of call was a Communist port were
not to be given authorization to enter the river.
c. Including cargo in transit for Laos.
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Petroleum and Dry Cargo Traffic Through Phnom Penh a/
1964 and 1965
Ship Arrivals W
Cargo Discharged (Thousand Metric Tons)
Year
Tankers
Dry Cargo
Total
POL
General and Miscellaneous
Dry Cargo and Unidentified Cargo
Total
1964
125
372
497
175
147
322 c/
1965
107
316
423
201+
75
279 c/
a. Data have been rounded to three significant digits.
b. Including only arrivals of seagoing ships from foreign ports.
c. Including cargo in transit for Laos.
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"LV1%~L s.
SECRET
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