Shipping in Axis-held Black Sea ports?

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driftwood
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Shipping in Axis-held Black Sea ports?

#1

Post by driftwood » 10 Jun 2020, 14:49

Was there much merchant shipping from Black Sea ports in Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, etc. during the period of Axis control there? Or was most cargo and resupply moved overland? I know the Soviet Navy had a presence there (at least early in the war), but I don't know if it was enough to seriously interfere with shipping activities. I'm also interested to know if neutral Turkish vessels made much of a foray into Axis-held Black Sea ports during the war, and if so what sort of goods they were moving in and out of the region.

Dann Falk
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Re: Shipping in Axis-held Black Sea ports?

#2

Post by Dann Falk » 10 Jun 2020, 16:09

Please see the book "The Soviets as Naval Opponents 1941-1945" by Friedrich Ruge, Patrick Stephens, Cambridge 1979.


driftwood
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Re: Shipping in Axis-held Black Sea ports?

#3

Post by driftwood » 10 Jun 2020, 16:25

Dann Falk wrote:
10 Jun 2020, 16:09
Please see the book "The Soviets as Naval Opponents 1941-1945" by Friedrich Ruge, Patrick Stephens, Cambridge 1979.
I'll look it up. Does it have info on merchant shipping? I'm not really interested in the naval side of this arena, other than its impact on shipping.

LColombo
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Re: Shipping in Axis-held Black Sea ports?

#4

Post by LColombo » 10 Jun 2020, 17:28

There was, among other things, some traffic of Italian tankers that loaded Romanian oil and carried it to Italy. The tankers were escorted by Italian (and sometimes also German) warships till the Dardanelles, crossed the straits unescorted, then were escorted by Bulgarian and later Romanian warships till they reached their destination (Constanta, usually, also making call in Varna). And vice versa on the return trip. In the Black Sea were sometimes attacked by Soviet submarines, which sank two - Torcello and Superga - in 1941.

driftwood
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Re: Shipping in Axis-held Black Sea ports?

#5

Post by driftwood » 10 Jun 2020, 18:02

LColombo wrote:
10 Jun 2020, 17:28
There was, among other things, some traffic of Italian tankers that loaded Romanian oil and carried it to Italy. The tankers were escorted by Italian (and sometimes also German) warships till the Dardanelles, crossed the straits unescorted, then were escorted by Bulgarian and later Romanian warships till they reached their destination (Constanta, usually, also making call in Varna). And vice versa on the return trip. In the Black Sea were sometimes attacked by Soviet submarines, which sank two - Torcello and Superga - in 1941.
Very interesting, thanks. Did Italy also move supplies (foodstuffs, medicine, clothing, etc) for their troops on the eastern front via the Black Sea ports, or was this all done on land?

LColombo
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Re: Shipping in Axis-held Black Sea ports?

#6

Post by LColombo » 10 Jun 2020, 18:30

I am 99% sure that was done on land. Never seen any mention of supply ships going in and out of the Black Sea, except the tankers for the Romanian oil.

Dann Falk
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Re: Shipping in Axis-held Black Sea ports?

#7

Post by Dann Falk » 11 Jun 2020, 05:00

Friedrich Ruge was a great writer. As the title suggests, its about the naval war between the Axis and Soviet forces. Well worth finding in a used book store.

Larry D.
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Re: Shipping in Axis-held Black Sea ports?

#8

Post by Larry D. » 12 Jun 2020, 18:46

Dann Falk wrote:
11 Jun 2020, 05:00
Friedrich Ruge was a great writer. As the title suggests, its about the naval war between the Axis and Soviet forces. Well worth finding in a used book store.
This one has always been the standard work on naval activity in the East because of the level detail, but I don't know if merchant shipping is included:

Meister, Jürg, Der Seekrieg in den osteuropäischen Gewässern 1941-45. München, 1958.

L.

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Polar bear
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Re: Shipping in Axis-held Black Sea ports?

#9

Post by Polar bear » 05 Aug 2020, 19:51

hi,
driftwood wrote:
10 Jun 2020, 14:49
I know the Soviet Navy had a presence there (at least early in the war), but I don't know if it was enough to seriously interfere with shipping activities.
Soviet submarines made more than 300 attacks (not all successful) against Axis shipping
https://historisches-marinearchiv.de/pr ... eibung.php
Most "merchant shipping" was, of course, employed to serve the supply needs of Axis forces.

greetings, the pb
Peace hath her victories no less renowned than War
(John Milton, the poet, in a letter to the Lord General Cromwell, May 1652)

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