Barges - Germany / German Democratic Republic 1981 - 25 Pfennig

Barges of the GDR With the illustrations of inland barges of the GDR, the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications of the German Democratic Republic publishes six multicolored special postage stamps. Special cancellations from October 20 to December 19, 1981 Inland barges of the GDR These special postage stamps introduce for the first time barges on GDR stamps, which represent a selection from the complex and extensive fleets of our inland navigation. Taking advantage of the existing 2,500 km of natural and artificial waterways of the GDR, the inland transport fleet is of particular economic importance, which represents the economically most advantageous mode of transport for bulk goods on favorable shipping routes within the framework of uniform socialist transport. The most significant advantages lie in energy and foreign trade areas. Thus in 1980 a total of 16.3 million tons of goods were transported by inland shipping. By 1985, these services are to be increased to 20 million tonnes - in particular building materials and foreign trade transport. Safe navigation on the waterways is ensured by the use of vessels of the technical fleet (including icebreakers for winter traffic and ice breaking, excavators for construction and maintenance services). The recreational value of the waterways comes u.a. Also expressed in the use of passenger shipping, which is known in almost all districts of the GDR as the White Fleet. The 25-pfennig value depicts the diesel-electric side-wheel passenger ship of VEB passenger shipping Dresden. In the years 1961 to 1964, four ships were built by the VEB Roßlauer shipyard, which are among the most modern and technically interesting ships of the Dresden passenger shipping. With a length of 69.91 m and a width of 13.30 m, 1,020 people can be carried, making them the largest passenger ships in the GDR at the same time. These ships are also used in cross-border traffic in the CSSR.