ABSTRACT
The merchant fleet also increased rapidly and as a response to both of these trends, shipchandling also resumed in 1945. However, only two of the pre-war companies survived the combination of hostilities and early nationalisation from 1948, namely the Maritime Branch of the National Trade Centre, and Baltona Company Limited based in Gdynia. The new Baltona company was re-organised to be based upon socialist economic principles which provided 'enormous possibilities for further expansion necessary to service the rapidly growing Polish fleet and increasing number of calls of foreign-flag vessels efficiently'. In 1957, Baltona joined the International Ship Suppliers Association (ISSA) and subsequently took part in all its activities in representing members and exchanging information. One difficult issue for Baltona was the estimation of sales under the planned economy of Poland whereby targets needed to be set and achievements evaluated against them. Many of Baltona's sales were to tramp vessels whose voyages were random and thus largely unpredictable.
