ChandlerWhat does a ship chandler do?
A ship chandler, also called a ship supplier, keeps ships supplied while they are in port. A vessel may call at a port for only a day or two, so everything the crew and the ship need for the next leg of the voyage has to be ordered, sourced, packed and delivered alongside or at anchor within that window.
In practice a chandler does four jobs:
- Quotes on the vessel's requisition, often within hours, against other chandlers in the same port.
- Sources the items from its own store and from local suppliers, such as butchers, produce wholesalers, chemical and hardware distributors.
- Delivers to the ship: by truck to the quay, or by launch to a vessel at anchor, on the date and time the ship needs.
- Handles the paperwork: delivery notes signed and stamped on board, customs papers for bonded goods, returns, credit notes and the final invoice.
The name comes from the old trade of the chandler, a candle maker and seller. Over time the word came to mean a dealer in general supplies, and in ports, the supplier who kept ships stocked.
What do ship chandlers supply?
Most requisitions mix several of these groups, and a single order can run to hundreds of lines.
| Group | Typical items |
|---|---|
| Provisions | Fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, fish, dairy, dry goods, frozen food, drinking water |
| Bonded stores | Duty-free alcohol, tobacco and similar goods, delivered under customs control |
| Cabin and galley stores | Bedding, towels, cleaning products, kitchen equipment, toiletries |
| Deck stores | Rope and mooring lines, paint, brushes, tools, hardware |
| Engine stores | Filters, lubricants, gaskets, hand tools, consumables |
| Safety and medical | PPE, life-saving equipment consumables, medical chest items |
| Chemicals | Cleaning and maintenance chemicals, water treatment |
| Services | Spare parts collection and delivery, launch hire, laundry, waste removal (varies by port) |
Many items are identified by an IMPA code, a six-digit number from the IMPA Marine Stores Guide, so the buyer and the chandler mean exactly the same product.
How a ship chandler order works, step by step
The steps are much the same in every port. What changes is how fast each one happens.
- Requisition. The vessel, the ship manager's purchasing team or a catering company sends a list of what it needs, by email, as an Excel or PDF file, or through an e-procurement platform. It usually includes the vessel name, port, ETA and the date the goods are needed.
- Supplier prices. The chandler checks its own stock and asks local suppliers for prices on everything else.
- Quotation. The chandler adds its margin, plus charges such as transport or launch hire, and sends the quote. Speed matters here: the buyer is often comparing several chandlers.
- Purchase order. If the quote wins, the buyer sends a PO. A careful chandler checks it line by line against the quote, because quantities and items often change.
- Supplier orders and goods received. The chandler orders from each supplier and checks the goods in, line by line, noting anything short or late.
- Packing and dispatch. Goods are packed into labelled boxes, with chilled and frozen items kept apart, then loaded onto vehicles or a launch.
- Handover. The ship's officer checks the delivery and signs and stamps the delivery note. Anything rejected comes back as a return, and urgent items may be resupplied before the ship sails.
- Invoice and payment. The final invoice is built from what was actually delivered, less returns and credit notes, and sent to the owner or manager, often through the local agent.
Ship chandler vs ship agent
The two are often confused, because they work side by side on the same port call.
- A ship agent (port agent) acts for the owner or charterer in port: berth and pilot bookings, customs and immigration clearance, port dues, crew changes and the paperwork for the call.
- A ship chandler supplies the goods and services the ship orders, and delivers them on board.
The agent often passes requisitions and payments between the ship's manager and the chandler, which is why chandler software usually records the local agent on every inquiry.
How to choose a ship chandler
Ship managers and purchasers usually judge a chandler on:
- Response time: how quickly a complete, accurate quote comes back.
- Price and transparency: clear line prices, charges shown separately, no surprises on the invoice.
- Quality and freshness, especially for provisions on long voyages.
- Delivery record: on time, complete, and able to deliver at anchorage or out of hours.
- Paperwork: correct delivery notes, IMPA codes, bonded stores documents and invoices that match the PO.
- Coverage: ports served, and whether the chandler is a member of a trade body such as ISSA, the International Shipsuppliers & Services Association.
How ship chandlers run the business
Many chandlers still run quotes and orders on email and spreadsheets: retyping each requisition, emailing suppliers for prices, copying prices back into Excel and chasing deliveries by phone. It works, but it is slow, and slow quotes lose orders.
Ship chandler software puts the whole order in one system. In Chandler, for example, AI reads the inquiry from an email, PDF, Excel file or photo. Suppliers get a link to enter their prices, and your margin formulas price the quote. The same order then runs through supplier POs, goods received, packing, dispatch, returns and the final invoice, and the accounts sit in the same system.
If you are comparing options, see our guide to ship chandler software in 2026, or see how quoting works in Chandler.