Yugoslavia Today [antikvár]

YUGOSLAV SHIPBUILDING Eetween 1948 and 1960 133,000 million dinars was Invested In the rebuilding, expansion, and modernization of our coastal and harbour Installations and our merchant marine. These investments have led to an Increase In the tonnage of the merchant marine from some 60 thousand In 1945 to over 700,000 In 1960. At the end of 1959 the merchant fleet consisted of 179 cargo boats, 11 tankers, 63 passenger ships, 31 motor boats, and 6 tugs. As a result of the considerable Increase in overseas trade in post war years the share of maritime transport in Yugoslavia's total foreign trade has risen greatly. Whereas In the 1935—39 period the share of maritime transport in our total foreign trade was 42 per cent, in 1960 it was 49 per cent. In 1960 the Yugoslav merchant marine carried 2.7 million tons in our foreign trade as compared with 1.6 million in 1956. Of the sea-borne foreign trade with this country the percentage carried by the merchant marine rose from 34.5 per cent In 1956 to 53 per cent In 1960. The amount of foreign goods carried by Yugoslav merchantmen rose from 1.5 million tons In 1956 to 2 million tons In 1959. The fact that the Increase In volume of trade carried by the merchant marine exceeds the rise in the tonnage can be accounted for by several factors: passages are faster, the available space Is more efficiently used, and the stay in home ports is shorter as a results of the modernization and greater efficiency of our harbours. The rise in the European and overseas trade of such Central and Eastern European countries as Austria, Czechoslovakia, and Hungary, has led to a great increase In the transit of foreign goods through Yugoslav harbours. The transit of foreign goods through Yugoslav harbours, above all through Rijeka, rose from 800 thousand tons in 1956 to 1.4 million tons in 1960. The rise in the tonnage of the merchant marine in recent years has been particularly stimulated by the development of shipbuilding. In the period 1947 to 1959 25,000 million dinars was invested in the three major shipyards in Rijeka, Split, and Pula and In 10 lesser yards. Despite a recession in the shipbuilding industry and a decrease In the production of most major countries, in the last ten years Yugoslav shipyards have been Increasing their output. The increase in production is Illustrated by the following data: 4,875 4,875 Within the last five years the following ships have been exported: 35 ocean-going ships with a total tonnage of 191,730 GRT, three tankers with a total tonnage of 39,900 GRT, and 6 other sea-going vessels each with a tonnage of over 250 GRT. The total value of these ships amounts to 94.5 million dollars. As a result of the long-term trade agreement signed with the Soviet Union In 1961 It is estimated that in the next five years Yugoslav shipyards will export 9 tramp ships with a tonnage of 10 to 17 thousand DWT each and 16 tankers with 25 thousand DWT each. The Yugoslav-Brazil trade agreement also signed In 1961 provides for the export of shipping worth 60 million dollars from Yugoslavia within the next five years. At the same time on the basis of contracts already signed, work Is In progress on tramp ships, liners, tankers, passenger-cargo boats, and passenger boats for delivery to Great Britain, Switzerland, the U. S. A., Argentina, Brazil, the Sudan, Indonesia, India, the U. S. S. R., Poland, and Rumania. The plan proposed for economic development In the 1961—1965 period provides for the expansion of the merchant marine by 197,000 GRT. 326,500 GRT will be built at home or purchased abroad and 129,500 GRT of obsolete shipping will be scrapped, so that by the year 1965 the Yugoslav merchant marine should have a total tonnage of 914 thousand GRT. A rise in the capacity of our harbours will be achieved In several ways: by further mechanization, by the building of silos, by new warehouses and increased outdoor storage space, and by the construction of new wharves. It is estimated that loading and unloading in Yugoslav harbours will increase by about 52 per cent. This increase will be brought about not only by more modern shipping but also by some 2,800 metres of new wharfage, an Increase of 40 per cent. There will be a rise of 27 per cent in the tonnage of the merchant fleet, and thanks to more efficient modern shipping the volume carried will increase by about 57 per cent. The transport of goods will rise from a ton mileage of 22,000 million in 1960 to one of 35,000 in 1965. In the period from 1961 to 1965 91,500 million dinars will be Invested in the expansion of the merchant marine and 17,500 million dinars in the construction and improvement of harbours. The Five Year Plan provides for a gross investment of 20,000 million dinars in shipbuilding. Investments will be first of all directed to the building of repair yards, to equipment for the docks and river shipyards. It will also provide facilities for the manufacture of marine diesel engines. The capacity of coastal shipyards will therefore rise from 190,000 GRT in 1960 to 260,000 in 1965, while at the same time that of river shipyards will rise from 70,000 to 120,000 GRT.