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Aship chandler is a retail dealer who specializes in providing supplies or equipment for ships.[1]
For traditionalsailing ships, items that could be found in achandlery include sail-cloth,rosin, turpentine, tar,pitch, linseed oil, whale oil,tallow, lard,varnish, twine, rope and cordage, hemp, andoakum. Tools (hatchet, axe, hammer, chisel, planes, lantern, nails, spike, boat hook,caulking iron, hand pump, andmarlinspike) and items needed for cleaning such as brooms and mops might be available. Galley supplies, leather goods, and paper might also appear. In theAge of Sail, ship chandlers could be found on remote islands, such asSt. Helena, who were responsible for delivering water and fresh produce to stave off scurvy.[2]
Today's chandlers deal more in goods typical forfuel-powered commercial ships (oil tanker, container ship, andbulk carrier) including maintenance supplies, cleaning compounds, and food stores for the crew.
A distinguishing feature of a ship chandler is the high level of service demanded and the short time required to fill and deliver orders. Commercial ships discharge and turn around quickly; delay is expensive, making the services of a dependable ship chandler in great demand. Advantages, today and in the past, are that stores in unfamiliar ports do not need to be sought out, and lines of credit make exchanging of currency a non-issue. (Usually a ship owner would establish a line of credit with the chandler and then be billed for anything delivered to the crew.) Chandlers also deliver the product, freeing up crew to work on repairs or, if allowed, takeshore leave.
The ship chandlery business was central to the existence and the social and political dynamics of ports and their waterfront areas.[3] Ship chandlers are typically supplied by nearby merchants.
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