What Is Ship Chandling? A Guide to Marine Supply and Ship Chandlers

When a vessel berths or lies at anchor, it needs countless supplies — from provisions to spare parts — often within just a few hours. The industry that meets these needs is called ship chandling. This guide explains what ship chandling is, what a ship chandler does, and how to choose the right supplier.

What Is Ship Chandling?

Ship chandling is the business of supplying commercial vessels with the goods they need at port or anchorage. The company that does this is called a ship chandler. The chandler delivers everything a ship needs to be ready for its next voyage — from food to technical equipment — quickly and at the port.

It is the invisible but critical link in maritime logistics: vessels stay in port for a limited time, so chandling is built on speed and reliability. A wrong or late delivery can delay the ship and cause significant costs.

What Does a Ship Chandler Supply?

• Provisions: fresh, dry and frozen food and beverages for the crew.
• Deck & engine stores: cleaning chemicals, paint, rope, gaskets, filters, tools, and consumables.
• Spare parts: for main engines, generators, pumps and auxiliary systems.
• Safety equipment: lifejackets, fire extinguishers, pyrotechnics and other SOLAS items.
• Bonded stores: duty-free goods such as cigarettes and spirits.

Most of these items are identified by IMPA codes so that the ship, agent and supplier all refer to the same product with a single code.

How the Supply Process Works

• 1. Request: the ship or agent sends a requisition (usually with IMPA codes).
• 2. Quotation: the chandler prepares price, lead time and delivery port.
• 3. Order & sourcing: goods are collected and customs cleared if needed.
• 4. Port delivery: supplies are delivered when the vessel berths or lies at anchor.

How to Choose a Good Ship Chandler

• Port coverage: can they serve the ports your vessel calls at?
• Speed and flexibility: can they deliver on time during short port calls?
• IMPA compliance: can they identify items by IMPA code to reduce errors?
• Product range: can they supply everything from provisions to spares in one place?
• Certification: do they hold the required documents for safety equipment?

Sourcing with e-ShipSupply

e-ShipSupply connects marine suppliers and buyers on a single platform. You can search items by IMPA code, view supplier listings that can supply them, and request quotes directly — managing provisions, technical stores and spare parts in a digital, traceable process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is ship chandling the same as ship agency?

No. A ship agent handles the vessel's port operations (berthing, documentation); a ship chandler supplies its physical needs (food, technical stores, spares). They often work together.

Why are IMPA codes used in chandling orders?

An IMPA code identifies a product uniquely without language barriers, reducing wrong-item risk and speeding up quotes. See our IMPA code guide.