ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on problems associated with the peacetime and wartime logistics of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) alliance. During peacetime, if the economies of NATO countries are to remain healthy, they must enjoy unfettered access to the sea for the export of finished goods and the import of raw materials. The Soviet and East European merchant marines have made sizable inroads into the shipping market. Some analysts have suggested that the principal reason for expansion of the Soviet merchant marine is to secure political and military gains with little concern for the costs involved. Rough estimates suggest that more than 10 million tons of cargo and over 110 million barrels of liquid would have to be transported across the Atlantic in the first 180 days of conflict to support North American troops in Europe and their reinforcements.
