Galley and cabin stores: IMPA categories, units and how to specify them

Which IMPA categories cover galley and cabin stores?

Five IMPA sections cover most of this group: 00 Provisions, 17 Tableware & Galley Utensils, 15 Cloth & Linen Products, 11 Welfare Items and 55 Cleaning Material & Chemicals. The first two digits of the six-digit IMPA code identify the section, so a code starting 17 is a galley or tableware item. Alcoholic beverages are a related range, but ShipServ's public catalogue files them under provisions, so check where the item you need appears. The IMPA organisation describes the Marine Stores Guide as a single six-digit coding system that has stayed consistent for decades; see what an IMPA code is.

What units of measure do these items use?

Each IMPA code has one fixed unit of measure (UOM), so provisions are usually ordered by weight and utensils, linen and welfare items by the piece. Typical units are KGS (kilogram) for provisions, PCS (piece) for tableware, linen and welfare items, and CAN for cleaning chemicals, but the unit belongs to the code, so always read it from the line you are ordering.

Other units you will meet: SET, PRS (pair), LTR (litre), BTL (bottle), TIN, CT (carton), BOX and PKT (packet). Suppliers sometimes write variants such as PR for pair or PCE for piece; they mean the same thing. A real conflict is a different unit family, for example bread ordered by KGS on one list and PCS on another. Ask which pack size the quantity refers to. More on this in units of measure in marine procurement.

How do the store groups compare?

The units shown are typical for the section, not a promise for every code. Check each code's UOM before you order.

How do you specify provisions in an RFQ?

State the item, grade or quality, pack size, quantity, storage class, delivery port and date, and any best-before expectation. For example: "Item and IMPA code, quality grade, 5 kg packs, 200 KGS, chilled, delivery to port X on date Y, minimum remaining shelf life agreed in writing."

Spell out the storage class, because suppliers handle dry, chilled and frozen goods differently, and the ship must have matching store space. Give the pack size explicitly, since 200 KGS in 5 kg packs and in 25 kg sacks are different orders. Give a minimum remaining shelf life you expect on arrival rather than assuming one; the supplier cannot guess it. For chilled and frozen lines, include a delivery window and confirm that someone can receive and store the goods. How to prepare a ship stores RFQ covers the general layout.

What food-safety and MLC requirements apply?

Food and catering on ships fall under the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC 2006), Regulation 3.2 and Standard A3.2, which Skuld summarises as aiming at good-quality food and drinking water prepared and served under hygienic conditions. Details are set by each flag administration and by your company, so ask them what applies to your ship before you write the specification.

Skuld also notes that the catering standard has been described as a HACCP-based food safety management system, comparable to the ISM Code in approach, and that inspectors check whether a system is on board and in use. The UK's MSN 1846 shows how one flag applies it: training for galley staff in food and personal hygiene and in safe storage and stock rotation. That is one national example, not the convention itself. Your RFQ is not the place to state compliance claims; ask suppliers for the documents your company and flag require, such as product specifications, labels and traceability information.

What is the difference between consumables and durable items?

Consumables such as food, paper goods and cleaning chemicals are used up and reordered by quantity, while durables such as cookware, cutlery, bed linen and welfare equipment are bought to last and ordered by piece or set. For consumables, shelf life, packing size and storage matter most; for durables, size, material and capacity matter. Cleaning chemicals also bring safety and storage questions: ask for the safety data sheet and the container size, and check that the product is suitable for the surface and your onboard procedures. Search the catalogue for cleaning materials to see what units and pack sizes are listed.

Why must substitutions be agreed in writing?

A substitute can change quality, pack size, allergens, shelf life or even the unit of measure, so the ship should approve it before it is loaded. Provisions are especially exposed: a different brand or grade may arrive in a different pack size, which changes the quantity you receive. Linen and tableware vary in size and material between makers. Write into the RFQ that no substitution is accepted unless the supplier proposes it in writing and you confirm it. Ask for the alternative's specification, pack size and UOM so you can compare it line by line.

When you are ready, search the catalogue for the codes you need, or send an RFQ with the pack size and storage class stated on each line.