The sea is a vast world and the boats that sail on it often take days and days in pursuit of their missions. These long journeys inevitably make ships a means of transport like no other. This is also another area where several people take turns to ensure a safe arrival. Still, these boxes that sail on the water are the symbol of the work of several providers. From launching to the port of destination, the boat and the staff on board must have nothing to do with it. This ranges from equipment (points, ropes, …) for the boat to provisions (water, food, ….) for people.
But how does a boat that comes from another distant port manage to refuel all these necessities before setting off again or even sometimes during the trip?
This is where the very important work of ship refuellers comes in. They are generally very professional service providers, such as Jomarine Services, who have an acute knowledge of the maritime field. The latter, according to the needs of the shipowners, organize the supply of food or any other necessary items to the boats.
We all agree that the captain of a boat that has just docked cannot go shopping from store to store to restock his boat. The bunkering of ships is then the well-recognized maritime activity which ships necessarily resort to. Far from being a new concept, the bunkering of ships grew out of a history as long as that of maritime navigation. If it has known changes in terms of perception over the ages, its main task remains the supply of boats. These first-class service providers, such as Jomarine Services, are generally installed in ports to make things easier, but also to serve ships as quickly as possible.
Since port activity is permanent, a ship chandler like Jomarine Services must also be accompanied by a professional team available 24 hours a day. Needless to say, a Chandler general ship must have a very good knowledge of maritime law.
What is the activity of a General Ship Chandler?
It obviously comes down to the supply of boats but also follows a strict process. From the notion of time to specific needs, no variable is taken lightly. You must undoubtedly imagine that the refueling of ships must be done in several inseparable stages.
Everything starts from the captain or another qualified person who first makes a list of the needs of his vessel, which he sends in the form of a quote to the service provider of his choice, depending on the port of destination. As the food and equipment needs of the boats are enormous and very technical, this first step is usually done in a reasonable time before docking. The service provider will take advantage of the time limit to then collect the items listed on the left and right, and store them while waiting for the boat to dock. The vessel will then be restocked as soon as possible after its arrival; and all this for a fee of course. It should be noted that this description of the process is much more like a summary. In addition to the ship’s captain and maritime bunker, several other intermediaries frequently intervene. There could be merchandise stores, manufacturers, logistics companies, boat owners, or even customs looking after. The latter intervene in the process because the resupply of a vessel is in the eyes of the law an export operation. Also, the bunkering of ships is not exclusively an operation that takes place in ports. Some ships sometimes have their order delivered over water, but it all depends on the circumstances.
How do I find the right ship chandler?
It all depends on the needs of the vessel, but the most professional companies in the field also know how to detect them. Needless to say, a ship’s bunker must be reliable in every way, as the task at hand requires experience but also absolute confidence.
The Ship Chandler must be just as responsive as the sailing times sometimes vary with the weather. It also sometimes depends on the ports; at the Autonomous Port of Douala and Limbe for example, Jomarine Services is the ideal choice because of its recognized efficiency.