FOREIGN SHIPPING IN NORTH VIETNAM IN FEBRUARY 1967

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78T02095R000800070065-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 18
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 15, 2008
• Sequence Number: 65
• Publication Date: March 1, 1967
• Content Type: IM

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Secret
DIRECTORATE OF
INTELLIGENCE
Intelligence Memorandum
Foreign Shipping to North Vietnam in February 1967
Secret
MORI
COPY 1.29
RR IM 67-14
MARCH 1967
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OF-kJJ J I
The data in this memorandum are preliminary and subject to modi-
ficationas additional information becomes available. Significant changes
may occur in data on ship arrivals and cargoes from Communist China
and, to a lesser extent, in data on cargoes carried by ships of the Free
World. Data on Soviet and Eastern European ship arrivals and cargoes
and on Free World arrivals are not likely to be changed significantly.
As required, changes will be reported in subsequent memoranda. All
data on cargoes carried are expressed in metric tons.
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Summary
Page
I. Communist Shipping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
II. Free World Shipping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
III. Cargoes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Table s
1. North Vietnam: Foreign-Flag Ship Arrivals, January,
February, and Cumulative 1967 . . . . . . . . . . 8
2. North Vietnam: Tonnage of Foreign-Flag Ship Arrivals,
January, February, and Cumulative 1967 . . . . . . 9
3. North Vietnam: Identified Imports Carried by Foreign-
Flag Ships, February 1967 . . . . . . . . . . . 10
4. North Vietnam: Identified Exports Carried by Foreign-
Flag Ships, February 1967 . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Figure 1. North Vietnam: Foreign Ship Arrivals,
Monthly Average 1965 and 1966 and
January-February 1967 (chart)
following page . . . . . . . . . . . .
Figure 2. The Soviet Dry Cargo Ship Zeya (1, 248 GRT),
Now Being Used on the Haiphong -- Hong
Kong Run (photograph) following page . . . . 4
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FOREIGN SHIPPING TO NORTH VIETNAM
IN FEBRUARY 1967*
Summary
Substantially more Soviet ships arrived at North Vietnam in February
than in January, the previous record month, primarily because the North
Vietnamese chartered a number of small Soviet ships to carry coal to
Japan (see Figure 1). Continued large imports of petroleum and bulk
foods pushed total seaborne imports to the second highest level on record,
but exports declined substantially because of a sharp drop in exports of
cement and the lack of pig iron exports.
Foreign ships made the highest number of calls since January 1966,
and exceeded the monthly average for 1966 by about one-fourth, as shown
in the tabulation below:
Monthly Average Janu
1966 196
ary February
7 167
Total 31.6 E
40
Communist countries 25.4+ / 31
35
USSR 10.2 16
24
Eastern Europe 3.5 4+
3
Albania 0.2
Communist China 11.5 11
8
Cuba 0.1
Free World
6.2 6
5
United Kingdom
4.2 6
3
Other
2.0
2
a. Because of rounding, components do not add to the total
shown.
* This memorandumwas produced by the Office of Research and Reports;
the estimates and conclusions represent the best judgment of the Direc-
torate of Intelligence as of 15 March 1967.
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The total volume of cargoes handled at North Vietnamese ports was
about the same as in January but more than the monthly average for 1966.
Imports were substantially above the 1966 average. Imports of petroleum
and bulk foodstuffs remained at a high level. Four Soviet tankers from
Vladivostok and one UK ship carrying drummed gasoline from. Shanghai
brought in the petroleum and 11 dry cargo ships, 8 of them Soviet, the
bulk foodstuffs. More than half of the foodstuffs came from the USSR;
the remainder came from Communist China, Poland, Cambodia, and
Singapore. Soviet ships from the Black Sea delivered trucks, tractors,
bulldozers, excavators, and cranes. No imports of arms or ammunition
by sea were detected.
The volume of exports in February was 14 percent below the monthly
average for 1966. Exports of coal were close to earlier levels, but
exports of cement and miscellaneous and general cargoes declined, and
there were no exports of pig iron.
In March, Soviet ships probably will continue the high level of food
imports to North Vietnam. Also the UK ship Kingford may a:-rive with
another load of drummed gasoline from Shanghai.
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vL ul~l: 1.
I. Communist Shipping
The 24 calls by Soviet ships at North Vietnamese ports in
February -- 20 by dry cargo ships and 4 by tankers -- substantially
exceeded the previous high of 16 in January. The increase was
largely accounted for by small dry cargo ships (under 4, 000 GRT)
chartered by North Vietnam to carry coal to Japan.
Four large Soviet dry cargo ships (10, 000 to 11, 000 GRT)
arrived from the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk with fertilizer,
POL, and miscellaneous and general cargoes. One Soviet ship
arrived from Constanta with maize, POL, and general cargo.
Fifteen small Soviet dry cargo ships under charter to North Vietnam
came from ports in the Far East, many of them bringing bulk food-
stuffs. The North Vietnamese had made repeated requests to the
USSR for charters on more such small ships, but the USSR apparently
did not have enough available. The USSR now probably has a seasonal
surplus of small ships in the Far East that can be used in the North
Vietnamese trade until the Northern Sea Route opens this summer.
The Soviet ship Zeya (1, 248 GRT) apparently replaced North Viet-
namese shipping on the run between Hong Kong and North Vietnam in
February (see Figure 2). The principal flow of cargoes is outbound
from North Vietnam to Hong Kong. During an earlier withdrawal of
North Vietnamese ships from this run in October-November 1966,
Polish-flag ships carried unusually large volumes of North Vietnamese
exports to Hong Kong. The reason for the withdrawal of North Viet-
namese ships from this route is not known.
The Soviet tanker Abakan (1, 770 GRT), which arrived in Haiphong
on 12 January, is still in port. There are indications that the crew
has been returned to the USSR and that the ship is being used for local
deliveries or for refueling other ships.
Eight Chinese Communist ships arrived in February, somewhat
fewer than the monthly average of 12 in 1966. All of the Chinese
ships sailed to Haiphong, presumably to discharge cargoes, although
cargo was identified on only three of them. Seven of the ships arrived
from China; the other, under charter to CHIPOLBROK, delivered
fertilizer from Morocco and miscellaneous and general cargo from
Poland. Four Chinese ships departed from North Vietnam during the
month -- one from Cam Pha with coal, and three from Haiphong,
probably in ballast.
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Eastern European ships that arrived in North Vietnam included
two Pclish cargo liners and a Bulgarian ship that loaded coal for
Japan. The Polish ships brought general cargoes, including lard,
from Gdynia.
IL Free World Shipping
All of the five Free World ships that arrived in February brought
in cargoes, representing 12 percent of total identified. seaborne
imports. One Cypriot ship carried rice and timber from Cambodia,
one Maltese ship discharged five tons of machinery from North
Korea, two UK ships arrived at Hon Gay with coking coal, and
the UK ship Wishford carried drummed gasoline from Shanghai.
These British-flag ships were under time charter to Communist
China. They are owned by the Ocean Tramping Co. of Hong Kong,
a firm believed to be controlled by Communist China. The Cypriot
and Maltese ships were under time charter to North Vietnam.
Three of the seven Free World ships that departed from North
Vietnam carried coal for Japan and Communist China, one carried
cement for Cambodia and general cargo for Singapore, and three,
including one tanker, left empty.
I1.1. Cargoes
In February, foreign ships carried about the same volume of
identified cargo in and out of North Vietnam as in January, but
more than the monthly average for 1966, as shown in the following
tabulation (in thousand metric tons):
February January February Monthly Average
_1.967 1967 1966 1966
dotal cargoes carried
by foreign ships 186.4 186.3 190.5 172..0
Imports 105.2 84.1 54.5 77,4
Exports 8.1.2 102.2 156.1 94.6
Identified imports were substantially above those of January 1967
and greater than the monthly average for 1966, but the reverse was
true for exports.
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FIGURE 2. THE SOVIET DRY CARGO SHIP ZEYA (1,248 GRT), NOW BEING USED
ON THE HAIPHONG-HONG KONG RUN
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Imports of petroleum by sea, almost all from the USSR, totaled
some 23, 800 tons in February, compared with 28, 000 tons in January"
and an average monthly volume of 16,'700 tons in 1966. Four Soviet
tankers from Vladivostok -- three of 3, 360 GRT and one of 6, 236 GRT --
brought in 20, 400 tons of petroleum products, and three Soviet dry
cargo ships delivered 500 tons of packaged POL from Novorissiysk and
100 tons from Constanta. The UK-flag ship Wishford brought in 14, 000
drums of gasoline (2, 800 tons) from Shanghai. The British dry cargo
ship Kingford may bring in another shipment of drummed gasoline from
Shanghai in March.
Imports of bulk foods were about 23, 000 tons, only slightly less than
the January record and about three and one-half times the average
monthly volume in 1966. A comparison of the imports of bulk food for
the first two months of 1967 and the entire year 1966 is shown below
(in thousand metric tons):
January-
February
Origin and. Commodity
1966
1967
_
Communist China
39?4
7.6
Rice
34?4
7.6
Soybeans
1.0
Sugar
4.0
USSR
6.4
18.1
Milk
0.9
0.4
Flour
5.4
17.6
Unidentified
0.1
Cuba (sugar)
21.7
10.1
Rumania (maize)
7_8
Poland. (meat and lard)
0.3
Cambodia
7.8
2.0
Maize
7.8
Rice
2.0
Singapore (coconut and palm oil)
?.d
0.5
Total 77.1 46.4
Confirmation has been received that the British tanker Taipieng
delivered 7, 000 tons of petroleum products from Shanghai to Haiphong
in January. The ship discharged into barges, which in turn discharged
along the shore downstream from Haiphong.
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In the first two months of 1967, North Vietnam imported more bulk
foods by sea (46, 400 tons) than it did during the first ten months of
1966 (46, 300 tons). Food imports are expected to 'be somewhat
higher in March than in February.
Imports of fertilizer (24, 400 tons) were more than double the
January level and substantially above the monthly average (18, 700
tons) for 1966. The USSR accounted for 77 percent of these imports.
The remainder came from Morocco and North Korea.
Imports of miscellaneous and general cargoes were significantly
higher than in January, but substantially lower than the monthly
average for 1966. Ninety-three percent of these imports carne from
Communist countries. They included trucks, tractors, bulldozers,
excavators, cranes, electrical equipment, metals, tires, and.
textiles from the USSR; 6, 000 tons of coking coal from Communist
China; and chemicals and machinery from Poland. The small.
volume of miscellaneous and general cargoes from the Free World
included surgical instruments from France, wool from Japan, and
wood oil from Cambodia. No imports of arms or ammunition by
sea were detected.
Identified North Vietnamese exports in February were 21 percent
below the January level and 14 percent below the monthly ave_:age for
1966. Exports of coal were only slightly below those of earlier
levels, but exports of cement and miscellaneous and general cargoes
were substantially less. No pig iron or apatite was exported.
Coal shipments from Cam Pha were slightly lower than in
January, which had been the highest volume since the US airstrikes
of April 1966, and shipments from Hon Gay were somewhat g:-eater
than. in January, as shown by the following tabulaton.(in tons):
;am 1'ha
Zion Gam
Harr ong
Total
January
62,550
.2,400
2 -0
77,300
February
60,665
14,100
7411765
Average monthly
volume in 1966
75,500
About two-thirds of the coal exports in February (48, 950 tons)
went to Japan. Communist China got 21, 815 tons and Malaysia
4, 000 tons.
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The coal exports to Japan were the largest of any month since
1965 and were 47 percent more than the average volume for the
preceding six months. Shipments to Communist China decreased
18 percent below the average level of the preceding six months as
North Vietnam again gave priority to shipments to Japan, which
earn hard currency. The recovery of North Vietnam's coal trade
with Japan probably was assisted by the availability of small Soviet
ships for voyage charters. Since the withdrawal of Japanese ships
from the North Vietnam trade in March. 1965, small Japanese coal
importers have sought small ships for this trade, but only larger
ships were available. Until the appearance of these small Soviet
ships, the coal trade between the two countries had been carried
in larger Free World ships that were uneconomic for the small
Japanese importers.
No exports of coal from Haiphong were detected in February.
No movement of coal to Haiphong on foreign merchant ships from
either Hon Gay or Cam Pha was detected, whereas one such move-
ment was noted in each of the five preceding months. Such ship-
ments to Haiphong are probably no longer needed, because anthracite
is now being supplied to Haiphong from the renovated mines at
Vang Danh<
There were indications that some congestion of shipping was
developing at Haiphong and Cam Pha, but foreign freighters departing
from Haiphong in February had been in port an average of 10 days,
approximately a normal turnaround time for that port.
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,Not-1111 Vletll al'1: rV reign-Flu- 5111. {J t?rrlVals a/
January, February, and Cumulative 1967
February
January
Flag
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Total
40
100.0
37
100.0
77
100.0
Communist countries
35
87.5
31
83.8
66
85.7
USSR
24
60.0
16
43.2
40
51.9
Eastern Europe
3
7.5
4
10.8
7
9.1
Bulgaria
1
2.5
2
5.4
3
3.9
Poland
2
5.0
2
5.4
4
5.2
Communist China
8
20.0
11
29.7
19
24.7
Free World
5
12.5
6
16.2
11
14.3
Cyprus
1
2.5
1
1.3
Malta
1
2.5
1
1.3
United Kingdom
3
7.5
16.2
9
11.7
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North Vietnam: Tonnage of. Foreign-Flag Ship Arrivals a/
January, February, and Cumulative 1967
February
January
Thousand
Thousand
Thousand
Gross
Gross
Gross
Register
Register
Register
Flag
Number
Tons
Number
Tons
Number
Ton
s
Total
40
188.3
37
179.8
77
368.1
Dry cargo
36
172.0
31
156.0
67
328.0
Tanker
4
16.3
6
23.8
10
40.1
Communist countries
35
163.9
31
145.6
66
309.5
USSR
24
110.4
16
74.0
40
184.3
Eastern Europe
3
23.9
4
27.4
7
51.3
Communist China
8
29.7
11
44.2
19
73.9
Free world
5
24.4
6
34.2
11
58.5
a. The aggregate tonnage of ships calling is not necessarily correlative to the actual
volume of cargoes moving into and out of North Vietnam, but these data are of value as
indications of relative changes in the volume of shipping. Because of rounding, com-
ponents may not add to the totals shown.
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ed rmporLs Carried oy for-eign-__ag :.;hips j/
February 1967
Total
Conununist countries
USSR
Eastern Europe
Ammonium
Sulfate
and Other Bulk
Fertilizers Petroleum Foodstuffs
24.4 23.8
24.4 21.0
4.7 29.8
1.6 23.7
20.3 21.0 b,/ 17.3 1.6 15.8
Communist China c/ 4.0
Free World 0
1.8 2.1
n
3.8 6.1 13.9
1.2 3.0 6.1 d: i 1 H
a. Identified imports include some estimates of bulk cargoes, using methods which have prove! to be
highly reliable. Because of n rounding, ilu~ .. _., components ~~ 1~11 may iuay _ not uv~ add auu to the totals shown.
b. Includes 580 tons carried on dry cargo ships.
c. An additional unknown quantity of imports may have been carried by Chinese Communist ships.
d. Includes an estimated 6,000 tons of coking coal from Communist China.
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Table 4
North Vietnam: Identified Exports Carried by Foreign-Flag Ships a/
February 1967
Commodity
H
Flag Coal Cement Pig Iron Miscellaneous Total
Total 74.8 1.7 0 4.7 81.2
Communist countries 55.2 0.8 0 4.5 6o.5
USSR 45.9 0.8 2.6 49.4
Eastern Europe 1.9 1.9
Communist China 9.3 9.3
Free World 19.5 0.9 0 0.2 20.6
a. Identified exports include some estimates of bulk cargoes, using methods which have
proved to be highly reliable. Because of rounding, components may not add to the totals
shown.
b. An additional unknown quantity of exports may have been carried by Chinese Communist
ships.
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Secret
Secret
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