ISSA and IMPA for ship suppliers: membership, standards and codes

ISSA is made up of national associations — 40 of them are full members — plus associate members in 51 other countries where no national association exists. ISSA says its members go through a rigorous vetting procedure before admittance. If your country has a national association, your application is processed through it; if not, you join ISSA direct as an associate member.^[1,2]

The UAE has one: ISSA’s members register lists the United Arab Emirates National Ship Suppliers Association among its national associations, and on the day we read it the register showed UAE members in Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Fujairah, Khor Fakkan and Ras Al Khaimah. We found no website for the UAE association itself; ISSA’s secretariat is the contact.^[3]

• Direct (associate) applicants: at least two years of trading; details of six ship owners or managers you have supplied, from whom ISSA needs at least three good references; agreement to the Articles, Bye-Laws and Code of Ethics.^[2]
• The application carries a non-refundable €130 administration fee (as quoted on the membership page in October 2026), and membership is valid only once membership fees are paid.^[2]
• Benefits ISSA lists: an entry in the Members Register and on its website, the right to use the ISSA logo, The Ship Supplier magazine, the members’ forum at the annual convention, and the secretariat help desk.^[2]

The ISSA Quality Standard is meant to set the minimum benchmark for the ship supply industry, and it is mandatory for associate-member applicants. It has its own audit; a supplier already certified to ISO 9001:2015 has the certificate verified instead. Certificates are valid for five years with an annual review. The page quoted €200 for verifying an ISO certificate and €500 for an audit when we read it.^[4]

We found no separate ISSA security code on the association’s site. When the expanded standard took effect in 2010, Professional Mariner reported that it covered catering standards on board, security aspects in the light of the ISPS Code, excessive packaging and the disposal of toxic material in port.^[9]

The ISSA General Conditions of Sale (approved April 2015) are written with the ISSA member as the vendor. They apply to all contracts, orders and deliveries unless otherwise agreed in writing, and treat a buyer’s conflicting purchasing conditions as rejected unless the supplier accepts them in writing. They set payment before the vessel departs unless credit is agreed, quality claims within 8 days, and liability limited to a refund of the price. Put them on your quotations, not only your invoices — our payment guide walks through the clauses.^[7,8]

The Code of Ethics that members sign calls it unethical to mislead purchasers by advertising or labelling, to substitute one product for another where that might deceive, to issue a misleading invoice, to fix prices with other members, to sell below cost or at unreasonably low prices, and to disparage a competitor falsely. It reads as a checklist for a clean quote.^[5]

IMPA is a non-profit association for marine purchasing and supply chain management, founded in 1978. Its members directory lists purchasers and suppliers separately, with categories that follow the Marine Stores Guide sections from provisions to machinery; each supplier listing shows flags such as IMPA ACT status and whether the member uses the Marine Stores Guide — the things a buyer sees when it looks you up.^[10,11]

The Marine Stores Guide gives each product a unique six-digit code tied to an individual description; IMPA says the codes have stayed consistent for almost 40 years, and the digital data is updated every six months. The 8th edition book made more than 40,000 changes to existing codes and added over 3,000 new ones. For a supplier the practical rule is simple: quote the buyer’s IMPA code and description on every line.^[12,13]

IMPA ACT is IMPA’s responsible-business programme for owners, managers and suppliers. Its Code of Conduct for Business Relationships is based on the UN Global Compact’s ten principles. Since 2023 “Preferred Suppliers” have given way to “Certified Companies”, which must show they have built in a policy commitment, a due diligence process and a remediation system.^[15,16]

IMPA’s London event — the 2026 edition ran on 22–23 September at the QEII Centre — brings decision makers from ship owners and operators together with suppliers and manufacturers from more than 60 countries; suppliers can exhibit or sponsor. IMPA also lists events in Athens, Hamburg and Singapore.^[17]

• Price against IMPA codes as standard and keep ISSA codes for buyers who send them — see ISSA codes vs IMPA codes.
• Put the ISSA Conditions of Sale on every quotation if you trade on them.
• If you plan to join ISSA, line up two years of trading records and six owner or manager references first.
• If you are ISO 9001:2015 certified, that certificate is your route into the ISSA Quality Standard.

Associations tell a buyer you are vetted; requisitions still have to reach you. Register as a supplier on GeoMarineHub, list your IMPA categories and ports, and bid sealed against requisitions written in IMPA lines. Start with how it works for suppliers or the ship chandler page.