Ship’s provisions is the term used to describe all the food, beverages, and supplies a ship needs for its crew and passengers during a voyage. There is one characteristic that distinguishes them from supplies obtained on land, and it is the defining factor: once the ship has set sail, any shortages cannot be replenished.
Santral Gıda has been providing corporate food supply services in Istanbul since 1995; we make deliveries to 39 districts 6 days a week using our own vehicles. On the maritime side, we supply wholesale food and consumables to sightseeing and tour boats, yachts, ferry and liner operators, and ship’s provisioning companies.
Two separate channels: duty-paid provisions and domestic vessel supply
These two are often confused, but they are completely different matters from a legal standpoint, and confusing them can cause problems with customs.
| Duty-paid provisions | Domestic vessel/operational supply | |
|---|---|---|
| To whom | Ships on international voyages | Coastal shipping routes, pleasure boats, yachts, and ferry operations |
| Tax | Exempt from customs duties | Regular domestic sales |
| From where | Warehouse or temporary storage — goods not yet in free circulation | Regular wholesale supply |
| Who does it | Registered catering companies, shipping agents, captains | Wholesale food supplier |
| Document | Written notification to customs, detailed provisions list, captain/operator approval | Standard waybill and invoice |
Santral Gıda operates in two areas: direct supply to maritime companies operating domestically, and wholesale supply to catering firms that handle duty-paid ship’s provisions. Since provisions for international voyages require warehouse and customs procedures, they are handled through registered provisioning companies; the framework for these procedures is defined in the Customs Regulation.
The trip duration determines the product list
The ration list is determined by the length of the trip, not by the menu. A boat offering Bosphorus tours and a yacht that will spend three days at sea cannot operate with the same products.
| Mission Type | Key requirement | Product characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Day Trip / Bosphorus Cruise | Fast service, high turnover | Individual-sized treats, beverages, ready-to-eat snacks |
| Yacht — 1–3 days | Limited refrigeration capacity | A mix of fresh and long-shelf-life products, small packages |
| Route / cabotage — regular service | Repeatability | Fixed schedule, weekly resupply |
| A Long Journey | What’s missing can’t be made up | Canned goods, dry food, and items with a long shelf life; a safety margin is required |
The basic rule for long voyages is this: a safety margin is added to the calculated requirement. Weather conditions or port delays can extend the voyage; provisions are loaded with this possibility in mind.
Shelf life and packaging: There’s no second chance at sea
On land, a replacement for a spoiled product arrives the next day; at sea, it does not. For this reason, a long shelf life and durable packaging are the two criteria that take precedence over price when it comes to provisions.
Since glass packaging carries a risk of breaking in rough seas, tin cans, Tetra Pak, or sturdy plastic should be preferred whenever possible. A damp and salty environment quickly deteriorates cardboard packaging; it is important that the inner packaging of bulk items remains sealed. For the canned goods and jar group, checks for body dents and lid bulging must be performed at the time of loading.
Product categories in our catalog that have a long shelf life include: Canned & Jarred Foods, Pasta, Grains & Legumes, Cooking Oils, and Nuts & Seeds. We’ve outlined the shelf life and storage conditions for frozen products in this guide.
The cooling capacity is the true limit of the cooler
The refrigeration capacity on boats and ships is fixed and is generally smaller than people realize. When preparing a provisions list , the refrigerated volume is calculated first, and then the quantity of fresh produce is determined accordingly —working in the reverse order will result in having to return produce during loading.
Practical result: Fresh products are scheduled for the first few days of the voyage, while products with a long shelf life are scheduled for later. We deliver items requiring a cold chain using refrigerated vehicles; transferring them directly to the ship’s refrigeration system at the time of loading is essential for maintaining their stated shelf life.
The delivery window opens according to the port’s schedule
When arranging food package deliveries, a time window is specified rather than a specific date. The ship stays in port for a limited time, and loading must be completed within that window. A delay in the berthing time means the supplier’s schedule will also be pushed back.
For this reason, finalizing the order list early is much more important for provisions orders than for onshore deliveries. For businesses that share the list and the estimated loading window in advance, we schedule the shipment according to that window.
Essential items: What goes into a grocery list?
Regardless of the type of trip, the core of the list remains similar: dry goods and legumes, oil and tomato paste, canned goods, pasta and rice, tea and coffee, water and beverages, long-life dairy products, nuts and dried fruit, bread flour and yeast, and spices.
Sample items: 25 kg Baldo rice, 25 kg dried beans, 5/1 tomato paste, premium tuna, 1 kg loose-leaf tea, single-serving honey. Beverages are listed under the “Beverages” section; spices and herbs are listed under the “Spices & Herbs ” category.
Water, sanitation, and supplies: the forgotten half of the list
The items most frequently omitted from provisions lists are not food but supplies. When dish soap, surface cleaner, gloves, trash bags, paper towels, and disposable packaging run out at sea, they cannot be replenished—and when they run out, they bring kitchen operations to a halt just as quickly as food does.
Bottled drinking water, on the other hand, must be calculated separately in terms of both consumption and safety margin. Both groups fall under the Cleaning & Supplies and Beverages categories; they are delivered together in the same order and shipment.
How do orders and deliveries work?
You place your order by phone, WhatsApp, or email; we prepare a quote based on the product list and quantities. Once you approve it, the order is added to the next day’s delivery route. We deliver to all 39 districts of Istanbul 6 days a week using our own vehicles; products requiring a cold chain are transported in refrigerated vehicles.
Since 1995, we have been exclusively serving corporate clients—we do not offer retail sales or online payments. Prices are determined on a quote basis, and special volume-based pricing is available for regular purchases. You can view our entire product lineup in our catalog and contact us for a quote.
Our Other Areas of Activity
For hotel and facility kitchens, please visit our “Hotels” page; for institutional food production, please visit our “Cafeterias” and “Institutional Food Service” pages; and for restaurants and cafes , please visit our “Restaurants” page. For an overview of all the sectors we serve, please visit our “Areas of Operation” page. We’ve outlined what to look for when choosing a supplier in this guide.
