Page:NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE SURVEY 18; CZECHOSLOVAKIA; TRANSPORTATION AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS CIA-RDP01-00707R000200110013-9.pdf/26

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FIGURE 11. Ships of the Merchant Marine (C) (All units diesel powered)
Ship Type G.R.T./D.W.T. Speed Country/Year Built Call Sign
BLANIK Dry cargo 5,517

6,005

15.2 Poland

1967

OLGD
BOINICE Dry cargo 1,403

1,274

12.0 Hungary

1966

OLMA
BRNO Bulk cargo 10,842

14,067

15.2 Poland

1965

OLGM
JISKRA Dry cargo 1,702

3,047

13.0 Bulgaria

1963

OLGK
KOSICE Bulk cargo 16,760

25,913

16.1 Japan

1963

OLGL
KRIVAN Dry cargo 5,313

5,923

16.3 Poland

1970

OLGE
LEDNICE Dry cargo 1,412

1,274

12.0 Hungary

1967

na
MIR Dry cargo 9,651

14,000

18.0 East Germany

1973

na
PRAHA Bulk cargo 19,677

32,240

15.0 Poland

1972

OLGN
RADHOST Dry cargo 5,310

5,961

15.2 Poland

1970

OLGC
SITNO Dry cargo 5,310

6,000

15.2 Poland

1970

OLGF
VITKOVICE Bulk cargo 24,326

41,208

16.2 United Kingdom

1966

OLGB


registry. Czechoslovakia continues to depend heavily on foreign-flag merchant ships to assure the movement of its seaborne commerce; at least 10 Yugoslav-flag and 42 western-flag ships were chartered in the first 8 months of 1973. These charter agreements were made with foreign merchant ships under the flags of Yugoslavia, Greece, Liberia, Cyprus, Panama, India, Italy, Somalia, and Lebanon. All ships were chartered on a voyage basis.

Most of the more than 400 officers and ratings serving in the merchant marine are Czechoslovak nationals. A few Russians, Poles, and Bulgarians, usually of officer rank, have been listed as crew members aboard Czechoslovak ships. About 200 additional persons are employed in the land-based operations of COSCO. Historically not a maritime nation, and having no navy from which to recruit qualified seagoing personnel, the Czechslovak merchant marine suffers from a lack of senior personnel, particularly ship-masters. This condition has been somewhat alleviated in recent years by Soviet and Polish assistance in training personnel for the maritime fleet. Seamen receive shipboard training for 3 to 4 weeks and then must pass an examination given by the Ministry of Transportation in Prague. Membership in the Communist Party and the Central Revolutionary Union, which is the maritime labor union, is mandatory for all seamen except medical officers.


H. Civil air (S)

Civil Aviation is fully government owned and controlled. Air transportation and general aviation services are provided by two state aviation enterprises, Czechoslovak Airlines (Ceskoslovenske Aerolinie—CSA) and Slov-Air. There is no private aviation. Responsibility for the administration, regulation, and control of civil aviation is vested in the Civil Aviation Division of the Federal Ministry of Transportation. Civil aviation is viewed by the government both as a means to further its economic and political aims and as a service to the public.

CSA operates an extensive international route network; among the Communist air carriers, only the U.S.S.R.'s Aeroflot has service to more cities. Scheduled flights originating in Prague and Bratislava serve 49 cities in 40 countries. CSA routes reach into


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APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200110013-9