Who is a Ship Chandler?

A ship chandler is a person who exclusively deals in supplying for a shipping vessel its required commodities. In other words, just like a grocer supplies food grains to households, a ship chandler supplies essentially required commodities to a ship and its crew.

The job of a ship chandler is very unique because it caters specifically to only one line of business therefore allowing a complete exclusivity to both parties – the seller as well as the client. Because of this exclusivity and the nature of the profession, it so happens that each and every ship chandler is held in high esteem and regard.

By approaching a ship chandler directly, it so happens that a ship’s crew can avoid the middlemen when it comes to a business transaction and thus save a lot of money which could be used in other productive areas.

Representation Image – Photograph by Ganesan Raghul

When it comes to a ship’s supplies, in the absence of a ship chandler, it so happens that there are a lot of people involved. The more number of involved people means a lot of time for transit and consequentially a lot of delay in the transit process. When a ship’s crew approaches a ship chandler, because of the naturalness of a ship chandler, a ship’s crew can get the necessary commodities directly from a one-person source. This point adds to the aspect of high level of discount as since the ship chandler is the only person involved in the sale, he can afford to procure the best deals for a ship’s crew at the right prices thus allowing him to give a high return to his client in the form of rebate or discount.

This is precisely the reason why ship chandlers are held in vogue. As the shipping industry has developed and peaked over the centuries, the job responsibilities of a ship chandler have also increased. Competition has always been high in the shipping industry but in the modern times there is not just competition from within a country but also internationally.

This high level of competition makes the scope and coverage of a ship chandler very high. With the shipping industry now expanding to a great new level, it is quite possible that the profession of a ship chandler might be soon offered as a part of a university’s curriculum.

This high level of competition also ensures that a well-learnt and experienced ship chandler earns a high rate of clients and thereby a huge remuneration even after providing with the necessary discount and rebate.

The role of a ship chandler has changed over the years. In the olden days, a ship chandler mainly used to provide ropes, sail cloths and other such details to a ship’s crew. In contemporary times, a ship chandler’s role has been modified to providing maintenance requirements, food supplies, chemical compounds for the purpose of cleaning and many other modern items.

But however the role might have digressed and transformed, a ship chandler still is one of the most important necessities when one thinks about shipping and naval vessels. Without the services of a ship chandler, a ship and its crew cannot be assured of quality commodities required in a ship. In a world of changing thoughts, actions and priorities, a ship chandler’s responsibility and duty, however has managed to remain very constant and absolutely relevant.