- Requisition
- A list of items a vessel needs, sent from the ship or office to purchasing. It names the vessel, the items, quantities and the delivery port and date.
- RFQ (request for quotation)
- A request sent to suppliers asking for prices and lead times for the lines of a requisition.
- Quotation
- A supplier’s offer for the lines of an RFQ, with prices, part types, lead time and delivery terms.
- Digital procurement desk
- A service that reads requisitions, finds suppliers, collects quotes and presents one comparison online, with a human desk checking each step and the buyer approving the order.
- IMPA code
- A six-digit item code from the IMPA Marine Stores Guide, used for ship stores and consumables.
- ISSA
- The International Ship Suppliers and Services Association, which publishes its own ship stores catalogue.
- Maker part number
- The number the equipment maker gives a spare part. The main identifier for machinery spares.
- Drawing and position number
- The plate (drawing) number and item (position) number of a part in the spare parts catalogue of an instruction manual.
- Genuine part
- A part supplied by the equipment maker, its licensee or authorised distributor, with the maker’s packaging and documentation.
- OEM part
- A part made by the original equipment manufacturer that produces it for the maker, sold without the maker’s brand.
- Alternative (pattern) part
- A part made by an independent manufacturer to fit the equipment.
- Reconditioned part
- A used part restored to specification by a workshop, such as a turbocharger cartridge or fuel pump.
- Total delivered cost
- The full cost of getting an item on board: price, packing, freight, customs handling, agency and launch costs.
- Lead time
- The time between order and the part being ready to deliver, or delivered on board.
- Ship spares in transit
- Spare parts sent to a vessel under a customs procedure that lets them pass through a country without import duty, under local rules.
- Launch delivery
- Delivery to a vessel at anchorage by a small boat.
- Planned maintenance system (PMS)
- Software on board and in the office that schedules maintenance by running hours or calendar, and lists the parts for each job.
- Running hours
- The operating hours of a machine, used to schedule maintenance and forecast spare parts.
- Predictive spares
- Ordering spare parts ahead from running hours and the voyage plan, before they are urgent.
- Victualling
- Supplying provisions (food and drink) for the crew.
- Daily victualling rate
- A fixed amount per crew member per day that covers provisions and their delivery.
- Ship chandler
- A supplier of provisions, stores and consumables to ships in port.
- Approval limit
- The maximum order value a user may approve.
- Audit trail
- The record of a purchase from requisition to receipt: quotes, choice, approver, delivery receipt and invoice.
Ship supply and procurement glossary
Short, plain definitions of the terms used in ship supply and marine procurement.
Related guides
ProcurementWhat is a digital ship procurement desk?A digital ship procurement desk turns requisitions into compared, approved orders online: AI reads every line, verified suppliers quote and the buyer approves on total delivered cost.Read the guide →Ship storesIMPA codes explained: when to use them, and when to use maker part numbersWhat IMPA codes are, how the six-digit codes are organised, what they cover in ship stores, and why machinery spare parts need maker part numbers instead.Read the guide →Spare partsGenuine, OEM and alternative marine spare parts: what is the difference?Genuine, OEM and alternative (pattern) marine spare parts explained: who makes them, how they differ in price and documentation, and when each one makes sense.Read the guide →