Yugoslavia’s Merchant Marine
Yugoslavia’s Merchant Marine

Summary/Abstract: More than half of Yugoslavia’s steadily expanding international exchange is carried by sea. In 1960, for example, 5,197,000 tons, or 50.5 per cent of the total volume of trade (10,261,000 tons) was carried by sea as compared with 5,617,000 tons or 51.7 per cent of the total (10,886,000 tons) in 1961. These figures show the importance of the mercantile fleet in the country’s economic development. The important role played in international trade by her merchantmen, particularly cargo liners, saves Yugoslavia considerable amounts of foreign exchange which would otherwise have to be spent on chartering shipping space from foreign companies, while on the other hand, by plying and transporting freight between various foreign ports Yugoslav ships earn the country considerable amounts of foreign exchange. Another aspect is the fact that the merchant fleet absorbs a considerable amount of the output of domestic shipyards1 and other industries manufacturing marine equipment. Of a total of 619,012 GRT of new shipping bought in the period 1957—1961, 277,861 GRT, or 45 per cent, was built in Yugoslav yards. Furthermore, the merchant fleet employs, both on board and on land, a considerable number of people, at the end of 1961 as many as 12,870, of whom 9,922 were on ships.

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