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The log · Service & process guides · 19 May 2026 · By Sherif Awad, Owner, GeoMarineHub
What Is an IMPA Code? The Complete Guide to Marine Purchasing Codes
IMPA codes are the universal language of ship supply. Learn what the 6-digit codes mean, how the IMPA catalogue is structured, and how using them cuts ordering errors and speeds up quotes.
What Is an IMPA Code? The Complete Guide to Marine Purchasing Codes
IMPA codes are the universal language of ship supply. Learnwhat the 6-digit codes mean, how the IMPA catalogue isstructured, and how using them cuts ordering errors andspeeds up quotes.
Geomarine Marine Team
If you have ever read a ship's stores requisition, you have seen them: neat rows of six-digit numbers next to every item. Those are IMPA codes, and they are the closest thing the maritime supply industry has to a universal language. Understanding them is one of the fastest ways to reduce ordering errors, speed up quotations, and avoid the wrong part arriving at the wrong port.
What Is an IMPA Code?
An IMPA code is a standardised six-digit number that identifies a specific marine store item. The system is maintained by the International Marine Purchasing Association (IMPA) and published as the IMPA Marine Stores Guide, which has become the de-facto global catalogue for ship chandlery. Every code maps to one clearly defined product, with a standard description, unit of measure and, often, a reference image.
Because the code is universal, a purchaser in Greece, a chandler in Singapore and a captain on a vessel off Fujairah can all refer to exactly the same item — no translation, no ambiguity, no "I thought you meant the other type of valve."
How the Six Digits Are Structured
The IMPA code is built from logical blocks:
—The first two digits indicate the main category (for example, the 11-series covers cleaning materials, the 17-series covers safety equipment, the 19-series covers electrical equipment, the 59-series covers provisions).
—The middle digits narrow it to a sub-group within that category.
—The final digits identify the individual item and its specification.
So when you see a code, you can often tell at a glance which "world" it belongs to before you even read the description.
IMPA vs ISSA: What's the Difference?
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