FOREIGN SHIPPING TO NORTH VIETNAM DURING AUGUST 1968

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78T02095R000800070082-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 21
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 15, 2008
• Sequence Number: 82
• Publication Date: September 1, 1968
• Content Type: IM

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Secret
DIRECTORATE OF
INTELLIGENCE
Intelligence Memorandum
Foreign Shipping to North Vietnam
During August 1968
Secret
ER IM 68-122
September 1968
Copy No
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L 1
The data in this memorandum are preliminary
and subject to modification as additional informa-
tion becomes available. Significant changes may
occur in ship arrivals and cargoes from Communist
China and, to a lesser extent, in cargoes carried
by ships of the Free World. Soviet and Eastern
European ship arrivals and cargoes and Free World
arrivals are not likely to be changed significantly.
To reflect changes in previous reports, a table
showing monthly arrivals, by flag, is included in
this memorandum. Weights of cargoes are expressed
in metric tons. Because of rounding, components
may not add to the totals shown.
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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Directorate of Intelligence
September 1968
Foreign Shipping to North Vietnam
During August 1968
Summary
Foreign shipping to North Vietnam in August --
34 ship arrivals and imports of 133,000 tons --
was at its lowest level since February. Soviet
arrivals were down sharply, but Chinese arrivals
returned to levels comparable to those in the first
half of 1968 (see the chart). Congestion in Hai-
phong remained high. The average number of dry
cargo ships in port per day fell only slightly --
from 30 ships in July to 28 in August -- whereas
the average layover time for dry cargo ships de-
parting Haiphong rose from 25 days in July to 32
days in August. Congestion may worsen in September
as the result of tropical storms in the first half
of the month which have caused collisions and
groundings and have delayed departures.
More than half of all imports in August were
foodstuffs. Deliveries of foodstuffs dropped
slightly (to 69,000 tons), bringing the total for
the year to 511,000 tons, 11 percent higher than
the foodstuff deliveries for all of 1967. Eighty-
five percent of the food imports in the first eight
months of 1968 came from China (253,000 tons) and
the USSR (188,000 tons); most of the remainder
originated in Cuba (35,000 tons) and Eastern Europe
(34,000 tons).
Petroleum deliveries dropped to 13,000 tons,
their lowest level in 11 months and about one-third
of the monthly average for January-July 1968. The
Note: This memorandum was produced solely by CIA.
It was prepared by the Office of Economic Research
and information on ship arrivals was coordinated
with the Naval Intelligence Command.
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pressure on storage capacity caused by the previous
high level of petroleum imports may be easing, as
deliveries of more than 30,000 tons are expected
in September. Imports of general and miscellaneous
cargo in August were 45,000 tons higher than in
July but lower than the monthly average for January-
July, and fertilizer imports were 5,4.00 tons, only
one-third of the average for January-July. No sea-
borne imports of arms or ammunition were detected
during August.
Seaborne exports in August totaled only about.
50,000 tons, the lowest monthly level in five
months. Coal exports dropped to 43,000 tons,
continuing a decline from their 1968 high of about
76,000 tons in April. North Vietnamese press
reports acknowledge the underfulfillment of coal
production plans and attribute it to mismanagement.
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SECRET North Vietnam: Foreign-Flag Ship Arrivals
21
Figure I
MONTHLY AVERAGES
1965
Total 44
1966
Total 32
ARRIVALS PER MONTH
25
20
I0
EASTERN EUROPEAN
COMMUNIST COUNTarcc
Jan** Feb
Mar Apr
1968
M
1967
Total 32
*Including One Passenger Ship
**Excluding Two Cuban Ships
***Excluding One Cuban Ship
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May*** Jun Jul*** Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
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L).LL ~/1~.L 1
Situation at the Ports
1. The sharp drop in foreign ship arrivals
and imports since June* brought only minor relief
to congested Haiphong (see the map) in August.
The average number of foreign dry cargo ships in
port per day decreased from 30 in July to 28 in
August. The average layover time for departing
dry cargo ships increased from 25 days in July to
32 in August, only one day less than the record
high in August 1967. The persistence of a high
level of congestion in July and August can be
attributed largely to the backlog of ships caused
by the near record number of arrivals in May and
June and to a drop in the discharge rate at Haiphong
due to the disruption of cargo operations by heavy
monsoon rains. Continuing rains and tropical storms
in the first half of September may further aggravate
congestion. There have been numerous reports of
collisions and groundings in Haiphong, and several
ships have postponed their September departures to
avoid Typhoon Wendy.
2. Photography of the port area in Haiphong
during the third week of August reveals cargo in
open storage at about the same level as in July
and little change in the levels of truck, train,
and barge activity despite the monsoon rains.
However, photography of the main rail line and
highway between Haiphong and Hanoi for the same
period indicates that both of these key arteries
for the movement of imports to the interior were
temporarily blocked by floods. The duration of
this blockage and its effect on the movement of
goods out of Haiphong are not known.
Arrivals
3. Foreign ship arrivals continued to decline
from the near record level of 58 in June. There
were 34 arrivals in August, a sharp drop from the
monthly average for January-July but higher than
the monthly average of 32 arrivals in 1967. Soviet
arrivals fell the most in August and were at their
lowest level for the year, whereas arrivals of
other flags were only slightly below monthly
averages for January-July as shown in Tables 1
and 2 and in the following tabulation:
* The monthly averages during the first half of
1968 were 45 arrivals and 175,300 tons of imports;
during July and August, monthly averages were down
to 36 arrivals and 142,300 tons of imports,
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u.L,vltl, i
Communist coun-
tries
Monthly Average
July August January-July _
USSR
22
12
19
Eastern Europe
2
2
3
Communist China
6
8
9
Cuba
1
..
..
8
12
4. The 12 Soviet arrivals delivered 39 percent
of total seaborne imports in August, compared with
45 percent for the January-July period. Arrivals
from the Black Sea returned to their normal level
of three per month after climbing to seven in July.
(For additional detail on arriving and departing
ships, see Tables 3 and 4.) The reduced level of
Soviet shipping to North Vietnam in August could
reflect a desire on the part of the USSR to wait
for an easing of congestion at Haiphong.
5. Eight Chinese ships arrived in August --
five with cargoes from South China, one with cargo
from Rumania and Italy, and two in ballast. In
July, only one of the six Chinese arrivals carried
cargo, and that ship loaded in Rumania. Chinese
ships delivered 15 percent of seaborne imports in
August, compared with a record low of 5 percent in
July. One of the two Eastern European ships that
arrived in August remained in North Vietnam for
only one day. It discharged two tugboats and some
spare parts onto lighters while anchored in the
outer roads of Haiphong, and then departed for
Europe.
6. Arrivals of Free World ships increased from
8 in July to 12 in August. They delivered 43 per-
cent of all seaborne imports. Ten of the Free
World arrivals carried cargo (nine British--flag
ships from North China and one Cypriot-flag ship
from Eastern Europe) and two came in ballast (a
Cypriot-flag ship that called twice) to load coal
at Cam Pha. Ten Free World ships departed in
August -- six in ballast and four with cargo.
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UL V1~iI Z
Cargoes
7. Seaborne imports fell to 132,500 tons in
August, their lowest level since February (see
Table 5).* Imports from the USSR fell from their
high for the year of 87,400 tons in July to 50,400
tons in August, while imports from China rose from
34,100 tons in July to 63,400 tons in August. Bulk
food (68,800 tons) accounted for more than half of
the total imports in August and, as shown in the fol-
lowing tabulation, was the only category whose vol-
ume was higher in August than the monthly average
for January-July:
Monthly Average
Cargo 1967
Total 118
Bulk food 38
Fertilizer 13
Petroleum 21
Timber 1
General and
miscel-
laneous 45
Jan-Jul
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
172
221
217
152
133
63
97
83
74
69
16
20
16
19
5
35
40
33
23
13
2
4
..
4
55
60
85
32
45
8. Almost three-quarters of the bulk food de-
livered in August came from Communist China (51,300
tons)** and consisted of rice, corn, potatoes, and
* Since at least 1965, the volume of imports dur-
ing the months of July, August, and September has
been below the monthly average for the year. This
apparent seasonal pattern may reflect, in part, the
monsoon rains during this period which make off-
loading operations and the inland movement of goods
more difficult. Precipitation is normally heaviest
at Haiphong during these three months.
** Bulk food deliveries to North Vietnam from Com-
munist China in 1967 and in January-July 1968 made
up 46 percent of total bulk food imports. The un-
usually high percentage of food deliveries from
China in August is [footnote continued on p. 6]
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vLVl\L' 1
lard. The remainder of the bulk food imports came
from the USSR (14,800 tons) and Eastern Europe
(2,600 tons). Bulk food delivered to North Vietnam
for the first eight months of 1968 totaled 510,600
tons, compared with 462,000 tons for all of 1967.
9. Petroleum imports by sea fell for the fourth
consecutive month from the record high of 45,700
tons in April. Deliveries totaled 12,900 tons in
August, the lowest total since October 1967. The
abnormally high level of petroleum imports in the
first half of 1968 apparently resulted in a buildup
of inventories that taxed storage facilities and
forced a sharp cutback in deliveries in July and
August. The tanker Yvonne, temporarily under the
Somali flag, remained at the Bach Dang anchorage
throughout August and was used as floating storage.*
10. Seaborne imports of general and miscellaneous
cargo increased from 32,200 tons in July to 45,400
tons in August, but remained 10,000 tons below the
monthly average for January-July.** Deliveries
from Communist China accounted for most of the
increase, rising from 2,500 tons in July to 12,000
tons in August, and included zinc sheets, communi-
cations equipment, and steel products. General and
miscellaneous cargo from the USSR reached its second
highest level in 1968 -- 20,500 tons -- and con-
sisted largely of structural and sheet steel, tin-
plate, railroad freight cars, construction equip-
ment, wire, and pipe. Deliveries from Eastern
Europe (12,000 tons) were about the same as in July
and included steel products, machinery, chemicals,
soap, motor launches (see the photograph), and
truck trailers. Seaborne imports of fertilizer fell
probably related to the resumption of traffic be-
tween South China ports and North Vietnam, which
was temporarily disrupted in late June and July.
* The Yvonne (8,99? GRT) returned to Haiphcng
from China on .16 July. On 4 September, it ccllided
with the Soviet freighter Salsk (3,359 GRT), causing
minor damage to both ships. Prior to the collision,
it was scheduled to depart North Vietnam on 10 Sep-
tember.
** The commodity composition of 55 percent of the
general and miscellaneous cargo imported in August
has not been identified.
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Z).C,u1(L I
The Ch.%ne4 e Communi4t Ship, Chang Ning,
A'.choxed at Bach Davtg 5etow the Matit-,me
Cav.a.2, 24 August 1968
from 19,000 tons in July to 5,400 tons in August
(3,300 tons from Italy and 2,100 tons from the USSR),
the lowest monthly volume since April (4,300 tons).
No seaborne imports of arms or ammunition were de-
tected in August.
11. Seaborne exports in August (49,700 tons)
were 20 percent below the July level (61,900 tons),
as coal exports (43,300 tons) continued to decline
from the 1968 high of 75,700 tons in April (see
Table 6). Coal loadings at Cam Pha fell from 43,600
tons in July to 34,200 tons in August, and those at
Hon Gai fell from 11,100 tons in July to 9,200 tons
in August. All of the coal exports went to China
(25,100 tons), Japan (16,700 tons), and Hong Kong
(1,500 tons).
12. Photography of Cam Pha and Hon Gai for the
June-August period shows a noticeable decrease in
coal stockpiled at both ports. Recent discussions
in the North Vietnamese press admit shortfalls in
coal production caused by stress on fulfillment of
production targets during the past several years
at the expense of orderly preparation of the mines
for sustained extraction and future development.
A steady increase in domestic requirements for
coal may also have reduced the amount available
for export.
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North Vietnam: Foreign-Flag Ship Arrivals
January-August 1967 and 1968
January-August 1968
January-August 1967
Flag
Jan
Feb
Mar
ARr
M
Jun
Jul
AA
Total
Total
u
Arrivals
Percent
Arrivals
Percent
Total 46
29
43
40
52
5
4
341
1
3
00.0
277
100.0
Communist countries 36
21
31
27
34
41
31
22
243
7
1-
227
81.9
USSR 20
Eastern Europe 3
14
..
20
3
18
1
20
3
20
7
22
12
146
42.8
129
46.6
2
2
21
6.2
24
8.7
Albania
.
1
Bulgaria
..
..
1
1
1
0.3
1
0.4
Poland
2
0.6
4
1
4
3
1
2
5
2
18
5.3
19
.
6.9
lets
Communist China 11
7
8
8
to
14
6
8
Cuba
2
..
.,
..
1
72
4
21.1
73
26.4
H
1.2
1
0.4
Free World 10
8
12
13
18
8
12
98
28
.7
50
18.0
Cyprus
Italy
3
10
2.9
5
1.8
Japan
1
0.3
1
0.4
Lebanon
u.3
Malta
1 .
..
2
0.6
Singapore
1
..
1
0.3
3
1
1
Somalia
1
3
0.9
.
U
it
2
2
0
6
n
ed Kingdom 9
Unknown flag
7
10
10
14
12
6
9
77
.
22.6
41
14.8
1
0.3
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North Vietnam: Tonnage of Foreign-Flag Ship Arrivals a
July and August 1968, and January-August 1967 and 1968
1968
1967
July
August
January-August
January-August
Thousand
Thousand
Thousand
Thousand
Gross
Gross
Gross
Gross
Register
Register
Register
Register
Type of Ship and Flag
Arrivals
Tons
Arrivals
Tons
Arrivals
Tons
Arrivals
Tons
Total
29
206.9
34
171.1
341
1,694.4
277
1,367.7
Dry cargo
2
33
178.5
31
161.0
290
1,481.4
246
1,235.6
Tanker
6
28.4
3
10.1
51
213.0
31
132.0
Communist countries
31
160.8
22
112.9
243
1,207.6
227
1,127.1
USSR
22
109.5
12
58.5
146
697.7
129
657.4
Eastern Europe
2
14.7
2
18.4
21
160.4
24
187.6
Communist China
6
27.1
8
36.0
72
311.8
73
272.6
Cuba
1
9.5
..
..
4
37.6
1
9.5
8
46.1
12
58.2
98
486.9
50
240.5
a. The aggregate tonnage of ships calling does not necessarily reflect the actual volume of cargoes
moving into and out of North Vietnam, but is of value as an indicator of relative changes in the
volume of shipping.
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Table 3
North Vietnam: Origin of Foreign-Flag Ship Arrivals, by Flag
August 1968
Flag
Type of
Vessel
Origin
Port of
Arrival
Cargo
Charter '/
12
Tanker
USSR (Far East)
Haiphong
Bulk petroleum
3
Dry cargo
USSR (Far East)
Haiphong
Bulk food
3
Eastern Europe
Dry cargo
Dry cargo
Dry cargo
Dry cargo
Dry cargo
Dry cargo
Dry cargo
USSR (Far East)
USSR (Black Sea)
USSR (Black Sea)
USSR (Black Sea)
Japan
North Korea
Eastern Europe
Haiphong
Haiphong
Haiphong
Haiphong
Haiphong
Haiphong
Haiphong
Bulk food and
general and
miscellaneous
General and
miscellaneous
Petroleum and
general and
miscellaneous
Food, fer-
tilizer,
petroleum and
general and
miscellaneous
Fertilizer and
general and
miscellaneous
General and
miscellaneous
Food and
2
general and
miscellaneous
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Table 3
North Vietnams Origin of Foreign-Flag Ship Arrivals, by Flag
August 1968
(Continued)
Communist China
Free World
Dry cargo
Dry cargo
Dry cargo
Dry cargo
Dry cargo
Dry cargo
China.
China
China
Eastern and Western
Europe
China
China
Haiphong
Haiphong
Haiphong
Haiphong
Cam Pha
Hon Gai
h
i
Bulk food
General and
miscellaneous
Bulk food and
general and
miscellaneous
Bulk food,
fertilizer,
and general
and miscel-
laneous
In ballast to
load coal
Bulk food
Bulk food
Communist China
5
H
United Kingdom
Dry cargo
Dry cargo
China
China
ong
p
Ha
Haiphong
General and
miscellaneous
Communist China
2
2
Cyprus
Dry cargo
Dry cargo
Dry cargo
China
Eastern Europe
Hong Kong
Haiphong
Haiphong
Cam Pha
Bulk food
Food and
general and
miscellaneous
In ballast to
load coal
North Vietnam
North Vietnam
North Vietnam
1
Data only for Free World ships, all under time charter.
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Origin
Tanker USSR (Far East)
Tanker Singapore
Dry cargo Singapore
Dry cargo North Borneo
Dry cargo USSR (Far East)
Dry cargo USSR (Far East)
Dry cargo Japan
Table 4
North Vietnam: Destination of Foreign-Flag Ship Departures, by Flag
August 1968
Type of
Flag Vessel
USSR
H cds'ern Europe
Communist China
Dry cargo Malacca
Dry cargo Eastern Europe
Dry cargo China
Dry cargo Japan
Dry cargo China
Dry cargo Hong Kong and Eastern
Europe
Dry cargo China
Dry cargo China
Port of
Departure
Haiphong In ballast
Haiphong In ballast
Haiphong General and miscellaneous
(including transshipment
cargo for Japan and
Western Europe)
Haiphong In ballast
Haiphong In ballast
Haiphong General and miscellaneous
Cam Pha Coal
Haiphong In ballast
Haiphong No cargo loaded
Haiphong General and miscellaneous
Cam Pha Coal
Hainhnno
Haiphong General and miscellaneous
(including transshipment
to Western Europe)
Cam Pha Coal
Hon Gal Coal
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Table 4
Flag
North Vietnam: Destination of Foreign-Flag Ship Departures, by Flag
August 1968
(Continued)
Type of Port of
Vessel Origin Departure
Cargo
United Kingdom Dry cargo Hong Kong Haiphong In ballast
Dry cargo China Haiphong In ballast
Dry cargo Japan Cam Pha Coal
Number
Cyprus Dry cargo Hong Kong Cam Pha Coal 1
Dry cargo Japan Hon Gai Coal 1
Cf)
Somalia Dry cargo Hong Kong Haiphong General and miscellaneous 1 t7l
n H (including transshipment n
to Japan and France) pc~
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Table 5
North Vietnam; Imports Carried on Foreign-Flag 1968 and January-August Ships
1967 and 1968
Au ust 1968
Total
Foodstuffs
Fertilizer
68.8
5.4
Communist countries
28.0
5.4
USSR
i4 $
2.1
Eastern Europe
Communist China
Cub a
Free World
Pet r?o
l
12.9
12.9
5.1 5.4
76.6 121.2
3.1 19.3 223.8 158.4
40.8 0 12.2 34.6
a. 0
b. include some estimates of cargoes us 15.9 567 210,
? Inc luding unidentified cargo g methods which have 7 43
additional information becomes of 2 in
5,000 tons. The Volume of proved to be hi
available, unidentified car o gh reliable.
g will be e reduced as
Miscel-
lane o Total 1 1
968
132-5 1 014 o
11 336 6
75.8 803.2 203.6
51.1 490.6 589.4
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Table 6
North Vietnam' Exports Carried on Foreign-Flag Ships a/
August 1968 and January-August 1967 and 1968
Flag
Coal
August 1968
Miscellaneous
Total
43.3
6.4
49.7
Total
8
i
t
34.8
6.0
40.
es
r
Communist coun
6
1
USSR
4.2
1.9
.
Eastern Europe
5.5
1.9
7,4
Communist China
25.1
2.2
27.3
Cuba
Thousand Metric Tons
January-August
1967
1968
x+73.4
476.0
409.l
401.7
221.4
125.6
47.8
16.3
134.4
258.9
5.4
0.9
64.3
74.4
a. Exports include some estimates of cargoes, using methods which have proved to be highly
reliable.
885 04 8.9
Free World
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Secret
Secret
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