- IMPA codes are six-digit item codes from the IMPA Marine Stores Guide, published by the International Marine Purchasing Association.
- They cover ship stores and consumables: provisions, deck and engine stores, tools, safety equipment, cabin and galley items.
- Machinery spares are identified by the maker’s part number or the drawing and position number, not by IMPA code.
- A good requisition uses IMPA codes for stores and maker numbers for spares.
What IMPA codes are
IMPA codes come from the IMPA Marine Stores Guide, published by the International Marine Purchasing Association. Each item has a six-digit code, and items are grouped into numbered sections, such as provisions, cabin stores, safety equipment, hand tools, pipes and fittings, and electrical equipment. Because ships, ship managers and suppliers use the same guide, an IMPA code means the same item for everyone.
Why they matter
- No ambiguity. “Shackle” has many sizes and grades; an IMPA code names one.
- Faster quotes. Suppliers can price coded lines straight from their catalogue.
- Clean data. Spend can be compared across vessels and periods by code.
What IMPA codes do not cover well
Spare parts for engines, turbochargers, pumps, separators, compressors and other machinery are specific to a maker, a model and often a production series. The right identifier is the maker’s part number, or the drawing (plate) and position (item) number from the spare parts catalogue in the equipment’s instruction manual, together with the maker, model and serial number. See how to write a spare parts requisition.
Good practice
- Use IMPA codes for every stores line where one exists.
- Use maker part numbers or drawing and position numbers for machinery spares.
- Keep the description in plain words as well, so a person can check the match.
- Make sure the code edition used on board matches the one the office uses.
How Atlas Supply uses codes
When a requisition arrives at Atlas Supply, AI reads each line and matches it to an IMPA code for stores or a maker part number for spares. Lines that cannot be matched with confidence are flagged to the desk. Suppliers then quote against the matched lines, which keeps the comparison like for like.
Questions
How many digits does an IMPA code have?
Six. The first digits indicate the section of the IMPA Marine Stores Guide.
Do engine spare parts have IMPA codes?
In general no. Machinery spares are identified by the maker’s part number or by drawing and position number, together with maker, model and serial number.
Is ISSA the same as IMPA?
No. ISSA (the International Ship Suppliers and Services Association) publishes its own ship stores catalogue with its own codes. Many suppliers work with both.