A Chandlery was originally an office held in wealthy, medieval households that was responsible for the acquisition and distribution of wax and candles throughout it. This is where the term chandelier comes from though fortunately the world at large has moved on to electricity. But the term has stuck, and now a chandlery has come to mean a company that is responsible for the restocking, and resupply of maritime vessels both Naval and Merchant, with everything it may need for daily operation out at sea.
It goes without saying that chandlery is by far one of the most important aspects of maritime operation as without it the crew aboard a vessel would have a hard time staying alive let alone running a ship. However, most people have no idea what a ship’s chandler is or even does, even though they have been around in some form ever since man set out for the open seas. A ship’s chandler will supply a wide range of goods to a seafaring vessel that include but are not limited to: dry goods, fresh goods, bonded goods, basic medical supplies, safety equipment, maritime clothing, mechanical parts and cleaning materials to a ship so that it is stocked well before setting out. To be further enlightened on such matters, visit chandlery for more information.
A ship needs a fantastic chandler because the captain needs a service that (s)he knows will cut out the middleman and cater to the strict demands of the maritime industry. (S)he needs someone that will supply the best in safety equipment so that sailors’ lives are assured in the rough conditions of the sea, dry and fresh goods that are of the best quality so that sailors can keep up their morale, and plenty of mechanical parts that will assure the captain that there is a contingency for any emergency. Using a ship’s chandler assures the captain of all this and more because it is a service that caters specifically to their demand. A ship’s chandler will also ensure quick turn around time allowing the ship to set out faster and stay harbored for less time. And as a ship’s chandler procures goods in bulk, the skipper is assured of better prices and better costs, leading to a more profitable venture.
All of this is assured if the ship’s crew or Captain approach the chandler directly. In the absence of a ship’s chandler, many middlemen can get involved in the process of resupply, leading to a lot of middlemen. This can in turn increase the amount of time that a ship spends in the harbor as it eliminates delays that may occur when goods are passed between multiple hands and increases the cost of the whole operation as the cohorts of middlemen will undoubtably want a monetary cut of the goods.
For all the above reasons, ship’s chandlers are more in demand than ever before. Unlike the times of our ancestors, a ship doesn’t merely run-on canvas sails and manpower alone, but steel, oil and engines producing thousands of horsepower without any effort from our part. As the amount of machinery and nature of maritime trade has boomed, so has the need for the ship’s chandler. Which is why it is an integral part of the smooth operation of the maritime industry.
