Ordering provisions in a port you have not called at before is mostly about knowing what information the supplier needs and how much time to allow. Here is how an order runs with us at Limbe, from first message to signed delivery note.
1. Send the requisition
Send your list by email, WhatsApp or the request form on our site. Excel or PDF is ideal, but a clear photo of a handwritten list works too. Include IMPA codes where you have them, the vessel name, ETA and delivery point. Brands and pack sizes help us match what your crew is used to.
2. Receive a firm quote
We check availability with our suppliers and reply with a firm, itemised price, usually within two hours of a complete requisition. Quotes can be in USD, EUR or XAF. Where an item is not available locally, we say so and suggest the closest alternative instead of leaving a gap.
3. Confirm the order
Confirm by reply or purchase order, and tell us who we invoice: owner, manager or charterer. Nothing is bought before the price is agreed in writing.
4. Sourcing and packing
Fresh produce is bought from Limbe and Buea markets close to delivery so it reaches you as fresh as possible. Meat and fish go into insulated boxes. Everything is checked, packed and labelled with your vessel name at our base in Mukundange.
5. Delivery and signature
Delivery is by launch boat to the anchorage or offshore position, or by truck to the jetty. The master or chief cook signs the delivery note on board and we send photos of the delivery to the master and agent.
6. Invoice and payment
The invoice follows the signed delivery note, in English or French. Payment is by bank transfer, usually through your agent or ship manager.
Practical tips
- Order 24 to 48 hours before ETA for full stores orders. Small urgent top-ups can often go out the same day.
- Local produce is excellent value. Plantain, cassava, yams, pineapples and local greens are fresh year-round; some imported fruit is seasonal or more expensive.
- Send crew numbers and days at sea and we can propose quantities for a fresh pack if you do not have a detailed list.
- Combine runs. Water top-up and garbage collection can go on the same boat run as your provisions.
Vessel arriving off Limbe?
Send your ETA and list. We reply with a firm price, usually within two hours.