Definition
Not everything a ship receives is bought at the port. Owners often buy centrally — spares from the maker, a paint order from a fleet contract, charts, medicines — and send them to a forwarder, agent or chandler at the next port to put on board with the local supply. Those consignments are owners' items (or owner's goods): the local party handles and delivers them but did not sell them.
The terms matter when something goes missing. Under ISSA's General Conditions of Sale, for example, the purchaser insures owner's goods held by the supplier, the supplier's liability is limited to 2 SDR per kilogram, the supplier has a lien on them for unpaid charges, and goods not collected may be sold after 60 days with 5 days' notice.[1]
Give the holder an exact list (packages, weights, AWB or B/L numbers), the vessel's ETA and whether the goods need customs clearance or move as ships' spares in transit. Ask for the handling, storage and launch charge in advance — it is quoted separately from the supply itself.
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Sources
- [1] ISSA — General Conditions of Sale — https://www.shipsupply.org/conditions-of-sale/
A working definition for buyers, not legal advice — the contract, the convention text and your club or class have the last word.