PORT INSTALLATIONS IN DURRES HARBOR; PILOT FACILITIES; SHIPPING

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R007500410009-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 23, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 13, 2013
• Sequence Number: 9
• Publication Date: May 14, 1951
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part- Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/08/13 : CIA-RDP82-00457R007500410009-2
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1=NTRI 1 NTELLIGENCE AGENCY REPORT
COUNTRY Aibutia
qwroriE111,41TOON ria:PO?T
SUBJECT Port Installations in %eves Harbor; Pilot
Facilities; Shipping
PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE OF
INFO.
CD NO
DATE DISTR. 14
NO. OF PAGES 4
NO. OF ENCLS..
(LISTED DEL=
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
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THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
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Port Installations:
1, Existing demeeeres in the poet of rrreee, inc=ca d=ing Warqd Wnr III are
presently booing repaired,
2. The dismantling of the old wooden 'Reding stage previously initiateC by
the Italian authorities during the period of their occupatiou often:alias
is continuing; this landing stage, uhich extended from tho coutol of the
port to the northern pier, will be replaced by another uooden landing
stage. approximately 100 meters in 'length, with a depth of 21 feet along
the eestera side which would permit the mooring of 4000 to 5,000 ton
vessels. The depth aleng tho caetorn eide by cooLrast, is net more than
10fee't..? aid only large motoreemilboate or fishing *heath can be moored
there
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/ A 1/110 weetern m'ole 1 s a3 so beim e - -tee ete 1 - - t i 1 -,-ted
r'erill oe "be compieteci, 'hog jesf;eilcacci'tLckar2;1;;3;:nettrrier,
;Mich perm:Ito loading care to come quite close to the vescole maoycd there;
above these tracks there is another larger track, in the center of tho melee
for two port cranes, which aro presently being tested,. Thee? ceencs are
each said to have a MX:1MM lifting capaoity of more than 10 tons, and the
length of their arms is said to be adequeto to scrviee aey yeses's, moored
there or ha-.101.e an7 tyr.-_, e --7c1=2.:_c_. Tua piee Is spaelous and mould
pernit the rapid handling e tie rr.,:ny e,ods which eeeeeco- lust remain
?tacked ep, exalting loading?4/
4. Warehouses for perishable goods aro located on the northern pier; at the
eastern eni of
this pier there is a =all conai-irucLica yard. where a motet--
sailboat of approximately 500 tons and a wooden tug-boat of about 400 HP
are being constructed, The motor for the latter vessel has already been
received from the USSR,
5, The petToloun landing stage has a vary small wooden pile touard its outer-
most on alongside thia are moored the tankers, which throw their mooring
ceblee ie, e7ete 'attic eet up alcag the mole, Ori,:eelee, .ee ee:::ereiewed.
pipa-lirt7 Extended from the nolo to the tanks; one of thane to lines. ,
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CLASSIFICATION , PT. /001iYR0T. _ -1. s. (WPM TA LS 011T7 .., v ..
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/08/13: CIA-RDP82-00457R007500410009-2
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/08/13: CIA-RDP82-00457R007500410009-2
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/08/13: CIA-RDP82-00457R007500410009-2
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111011TEAL
Sr:ea/CONTROL -U. s, orrIclus ONLY
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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horever? had been completely destroyed and renmved by the Gerrene ei that
at the present tiee there rains but the single pipe-liae.
6, The only oil tanks uhleh exist in Durres are thetthreo ehiCh had boon
eonstructed by the ACIP Oleiedda Geuerale dello Industrie di Potrolio);
these uere damaged during the ear, but have oCece been completely repaired,
Tho combined capacity or these tanks is estimeted at approximately 61000
tone of liquid fuel, The tank lccatod at the end of the oouthern
breakwater of the poet, along which runs the pipe-/ine described above,.
7, A pumping station is located in a small house next to the tantel as these
pumps can only pump the feel outuaed (i.e., tomard the moored tenkers),
there is no mea nn of inteke of petroleum uhee tankers ara unloading th6
feel? and the vessels themselves mnst do the pumping tovard the tanks,
The pipe-line Join a poor state of maintenance, and does not permit the
pumping of more than 103 tons par hour. Thereele no pipe-lino between
Dueree and Tirana, and it is not believed thnt the Is nny lezediete
intention of c.entrnetkee oee. The ftel is teanspoeied Iron Durres to
Tirana by means of tank ef-eo,ariA is Writ tn mr
merr,4 of a t00.-hr,m+ -eldh formerly beloneed eo Davy.
a,
the nAjrl*er,,,ro tr.:77-7 ' nested
to iucompeteelt personnel, eho aro eeeceted tc 1,neee rnleeetv:., n_eced their
unhappineso with retard to- the si.;,=tica ia 1:Uch :;:eeeeeeves.
The mr-n in charge of this group has no technical leneeledee in 'Batten; re-
lating tc petroleum; since he receives all of hie orders from the alcove
refinerie.en his functions aro nn more than those of a storekeeper.
9. In addition to tho above port fneilieies being repaired and constructed,
several eater-iatake noints are being see up aloag the moles and the chore
in order to permit vossolo to renlenish their uater supplies. Veseele
ehleh do not fly the Albanian flag do not refuel in Albania.
retkahou.e.s
10. The lighthouses of Cape Laghi and of Cape Durres, as wall as the red and
green signal lights of the pert, are in regular operation. In addition,
approximately 2 miles from the entrance to the port, there are tuo buoys
(one red and ono green), uith intermittent lights. The red ono indicates
Shoals, and the green one a derelict vessel; vessels desiriag to reach the
harbor must pass between these tvo buoys. ?
v1tioers:
11. According to enconfirmed information, there are no barriers to navigation
other than those emplaced by the Italian Navy. A safe route to Durres
need by some vsesels consisted of following a true course of 170 from point
400 239 11 and 190.* 03 Er uhich brought the veosels to a point two ellen off.
Cape Laehi.*
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12. it and cylinders? used for obstruction purpcsesr aro piled vp cr the
western pier; these are In very poor condition.
Pust222.2:1==reiel.202dElPt1=5 om 71a=1J-747010,:
13, Neither *Police or Customs officials in the port of Durres carry out any
searches on board uhelther upon arrival or departure; Trg.... 50X1-HUM
mission for the crew to land, however, is not being granted, A policeman,
ermed with a Thompson subemachine gun, remains on duty on board at all tines,
Sr AiST/CONTROL -U, S. OFFICIAL S ONLY
COMP
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CO IDENTRAL
/00UTROL u0 S. opplans ONLY
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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and all eivilians who come on board to perform various service,: are also
escorted bye non-commiseioned police officer, Prior to the veccel'e
deperture?.the captain is escorted to the State Bank for the payment of
Dort riehti? and then he is 'irertodiatenv eel:meleen erned? at all tints
under survei/lance. These stelet socueity measteess aro said to have boon
imrAemented late in December 1950, follomine the capture and eeecution of
? five Albanian parachutists allegedly nem in from Italy,
14, The port of Durres has a single pilot, Ahmed Lei, a former ren-commissioned
officer of the Albanian Port Captaincy Service (now retired)
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During the olmence
of the Part Commander, who visits Tirana frequently, bin functions are under-
taken by the pilot, who is assisted by two young naspiranten of the Pert
Captaincy Service,
15, There are presently three tug-boats in use; one of these, which has a meter
of about 240 RP, assists vessels exacting maneuvers., and taus fishing-boats
and other snail vessels which are in :difficulty. The other two tug-boatsA
of approximately 80 HP each, are in a state of disrepair, end great difficulty
is being experienced in attempting to repel? them. In addition, as deeceihed
in paragraph 4 above, a wooden tugeboet of about 400 HP is presently being
constructed-
AP4i2j1110AM:
16, A small radio station, of approximately 1.5 kw, has been constructed close
to the officer: of the Port Captaineyein Durres, toward the end of the moot
.mole; the station ens being tested at date of this 50X1-HUM
report.
17, A bettery? located on the slopes of Cape Laghig is reported to have fired
Its guns at an Italian vessel when it arrived in Durres without prior
notificatior. The artillery 'nieces, which are camouflaged by green foliage,
are located on different levels of the hill, on the side of the sca. The fire-
control post is located in the femedisto vicinity of the foemer royal villa.
Shiim,_nra_TLefflsjn Durree:
18, During the course of December 1950, the traffic of Soviet, &dish, Rumanian
and Mee:a-ten merchant vessels increased considerably, with an estimatee
average of five veeoels per week coming into port during the period 1 Nene-ear
1950 to L. ;anuary 1951, In all cases the Polish, Bulgxenn and Rumanian
vessels (of an average tonnage of 4000 to 50000 tons) moored at the prineleet1
mole, while the Soviet veesels? with only two or them emceptione during the
? period in grestion? mewed at to former AGIP landing tage,
19. The Polish, Bulearian and Rumanian veRsols npleded mr01 ntlqw,-.41%; grain
and large quantities of tem items (railroad ties wiring, etec)? while
informant uas emiy able to state that the SOViet, VOSSelS enlonece enrchandise 50X1-HUM
in large anE well caeoe end erateo.
SE 4Ticarram _ 17, So OFFICIALS ONLY
;MULL'S: ?
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cir`"":2;railein
T/CONTROL U. S. OFFICIALS CilLY
CENTRAL EITELLIGENCE AGENCY
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20, These vessels then loaded shrimp, skins and oil.
21. The Bulgarian vessel DIMITROV (5s000 tons) tins expected in Durres on
17 January 1951s with a mixstl cargo of grain and iron items. Another
Soviet vessel end two Rumanian vessels wore oirected to arrive in Durres
an 20 and 22 January 1951.
22. Equipment for the establishment of a new distillery in Kuccrve arrived
from Czechoslovakia; two Czech tochnicians arrived at the same time with
the equipment.
23,
Porto Palermo is considered to be the locality in which interested posity
could easily unload informants. Such points, however, are under special
surveillance,
the sea approaches to Durres are rifted, but that an entrance
this minefield is located 30 miles from Durres. A safe route
consists of travelling 16 miles north of Durress nce
southlmrd to ths harbors staying within 3 miles of the shore. .
in
tarittittl;
SR0?;;C:ONTROL S? OFFiCTALS ONLY
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