Fresh, chilled, frozen and dry provisions planned for your crew size, menu cycle and next passage, delivered to the vessel at Gulf, East Coast and West Coast ports.
Alpha Ship Supplies provides ship provision supply across the USA for tankers, bulk carriers, container ships, gas carriers and general cargo vessels. Provisioning requisitions are quoted and coordinated by our team in Houston, with sourcing and delivery arranged at the port the vessel is calling. Whether the ship is alongside in Houston, waiting at anchor off New Orleans or on a short window at Long Beach, the cook receives the provisions that were ordered, packed by temperature and labeled for the store rooms.
Houston HQ | Gulf · East Coast · West Coast | Packed by Temperature, Labeled by Store Room
Gulf, Atlantic and Pacific ports
Chilled and frozen kept separate
Planned around nationality and diet
Prioritized by your vessel ETD
Vessels trading to the United States rarely call at a single port. A tanker may load at Corpus Christi, discharge at New York and return through Houston, while a container ship might call at Savannah, Charleston and Baltimore on one rotation. Using a different provision supplier at every port means different price lists, different quality and different paperwork. Ship provision supply across the USA through one coordinator keeps all of that consistent.
Masters, chief cooks and purchasing teams choose Alpha Ship Supplies for U.S. provisioning because:
For fleets that call at U.S. ports every few weeks, we can keep a standard provision list on file for each vessel, so repeat orders need only quantity changes.
Send the vessel name, port, ETA, crew number and provision list. We return a line-by-line quotation for approval.
We coordinate ship provisions for vessels calling at major ports on all three U.S. coastlines:
Fresh produce, meat and dairy are bought close to the port of delivery to keep transport time short. Dry and canned goods can be sourced wherever price and availability are best, then consolidated with the fresh order.
Most vessels calling at U.S. ports carry multinational crews from the Philippines, India, China, Ukraine, Indonesia, Myanmar, Greece, Turkey and elsewhere. A provision list that suits one crew can leave another hungry. We plan U.S. ship provisions around the people eating them: long-grain and jasmine rice, noodles, fish sauce and Asian spices for Asian crews; lentils, atta flour, ghee and masala for South Asian crews; dairy, bread, olive oil, cured meats and coffee for European crews. Halal meat and vegetarian options can be sourced where available, and religious fasting periods can be reflected in quantities. Tell us the crew mix and we will check the list before quoting.
Provision orders are quoted on one document and delivered together, with each temperature group packed separately.
Seasonal produce bought close to the delivery port, packed for shelf life on long passages, with root vegetables, citrus and hard fruit favored for longer voyages.
Chilled and frozen beef, pork, chicken, lamb and fish, cut and packed to your specification, with halal options where available.
Milk, UHT milk, cheese, butter, yogurt, eggs and bread, with long-life alternatives suggested for extended passages.
Rice, flour, pasta, cereals, sugar, oils, canned vegetables, fruit and fish, sauces, spices and condiments by case or by unit.
Bottled water, juices, soft drinks, coffee and tea. Bonded spirits and tobacco for foreign-going vessels can be arranged where available.
Galley utensils, cleaning chemicals, paper goods and linen to complete the order. See provision and crew stores.
Provisions are only useful if they arrive fresh and complete. We control the parts of the chain that decide quality.
Perishables are bought from wholesale suppliers close to the delivery port, so they spend as little time on the road as possible. Dry goods may come from wherever availability and price are best.
Fresh, chilled, frozen and dry items are packed separately and transported in suitable vehicles. Frozen goods stay frozen until handed over at the gangway or launch.
Pallets and cartons are labeled by store room, such as vegetable room, meat room, dry store, so the crew can stow quickly during a short call.
The delivery note lists every line, quantity and substitution. The cook or chief officer can check the order before signing, and any shortfall is recorded on the spot.
Stores go to the berth by truck, or to anchored vessels by launch arranged through your port agent, with launch costs shown on the quotation.
Send the provision list early. Container and tanker calls can be brief, and early orders give the best choice of fresh produce.
A delayed departure, a crew change or a spoiled freezer can leave the galley short with little warning. Mark the order URGENT, include the port, berth and ETD, and we will tell you quickly which items can be sourced and delivered before sailing. Requisitions can be sent through our form at any time; urgent ones are prioritized by sailing time.
For a vessel whose ETD has moved forward, we focus first on staples and perishables the galley cannot do without, then confirm anything else that can still be delivered in time.
Tankers and gas carriers often sail on long passages from U.S. Gulf terminals to Europe and Asia, so provision lists need shelf-life planning. Container ships on liner rotations call frequently but briefly, so regular, smaller top-ups work best. Bulk carriers loading grain or coal may spend days at anchor, which suits larger orders. Offshore support vessels and tugs need repeat weekly orders that are easy to approve.
We size each order to the vessel’s pattern, so the crew eats well without waste or over-ordering.
For voyages of three weeks or more, we suggest a mix of fresh produce that keeps well, frozen proteins, UHT dairy and dry staples. That way the crew still has good meals in the last week of the passage, and the freezer and store rooms are used efficiently instead of being filled with items that spoil.
A well-prepared provision list saves time for the master, the cook and the purchasing team.
Multiply crew number by the days to the next reliable provisioning port and add a safety margin. This gives a realistic base for quantities.
Mark staple items that must be supplied, such as rice, meat, vegetables, milk and water, and keep optional items in a second list. If something is short, we know what to prioritize.
Use kilograms, cases or pieces consistently. Mixed units are the most common reason a provision order arrives with the wrong quantity.
Send the order several days before arrival where possible. Large frozen orders and specialty items need the most notice.
Ask the cook to count remaining stock before finalizing the list. Ordering against actual stock avoids duplicate items and keeps the provision budget under control, which purchasing teams and owners notice over a year of port calls.
Vessel name, IMO, berth or terminal, ETA/ETD, agent details and the item list with quantities. For spares add maker, model and part number.
Every line priced, substitutes and long-lead items flagged, and delivery or launch charges confirmed up front.
Approve by email or purchase order. Suppliers and transport are booked the same day.
Stores arrive in the agreed slot at your berth at any U.S. port we serve with a delivery note matching your requisition.
Invoice and supporting documents for your accounts, audits and vessel records.
Sending crew number and days to the next port with the list helps us check quantities before quoting. Every order is checked against the requisition before dispatch, and any substitution is shown on the delivery note before the master signs.
Alpha Ship Supplies coordinates ship provision supply for vessels at major Gulf, East Coast and West Coast ports, managed from our Houston headquarters with sourcing and delivery arranged at each port.
Major ports including Houston, Galveston, Corpus Christi, New Orleans, New York, Baltimore, Charleston, Savannah, Jacksonville, Miami, Los Angeles, Long Beach, Oakland, Seattle and Tacoma.
Ideally several days before ETA. Large frozen orders and specialty items need the most lead time; common items can often be supplied faster.
Yes. Tell us the crew mix and we will check the list for staples suited to Asian, South Asian, European and other crews, including halal options where available.
They are packed and transported separately from dry goods and kept at the right temperature until handover at the gangway or launch.
We propose a suitable substitute on the quotation before you confirm, so there are no surprises at delivery.
Yes. Delivery to anchored vessels goes by launch, arranged through the port agent, with launch costs confirmed on the quotation.
Where available, bonded spirits and tobacco for foreign-going vessels are arranged through licensed bonded suppliers with your agent.
Yes. Provisions, cabin stores, deck and engine stores and spares can be quoted together and delivered on the same drop where the terminal allows.
Vessel name, port, ETA and ETD, crew number, days to next port, a list with clear units, dietary requirements and the agent’s contact.
Send the vessel name, port, ETA, crew number and provision list. You will get a line-by-line quotation and a delivery plan for berth or anchorage.