Coal for Berlin

In the Combined Airlift Task Force, the USA and Britain planned their joint execution of the Berlin airlift. They agreed on almost everything – except for the best way to fly coal to Berlin. The Americans wanted to use their already existing duffle bags. These could be used up to 20 times before they had to be thrown away due to wear and tear. However, the bags themselves were relatively heavy even when empty. That’s why the British preferred to use the much lighter jute bags traditionally used for carrying coal. But these could only be used about 6 to 7 times.

In January, February and March 1949, around 250,000 new coal sacks were needed every month. To ensure a steady supply of new coal sacks in such large quantities, contracts were concluded with international producers beforehand. This supply of new sacks allowed for the seamless transport of coal even in the winter months.