HomeShipServ Review: Faster RFQs, Cleaner Quotes, Better Control

ShipServ Review: Faster RFQs, Cleaner Quotes, Better Control

December 29, 2025

ShipServ is one of the better-known attempts to make ship supply and service procurement less dependent on scattered inbox threads. For fleet teams that live in RFQs, the main upside is a cleaner loop: find suppliers faster, standardize how quotes come back, and keep the paper trail in one place.

ShipServ Limited • London office (postal address)
92 Albert Embankment, 7th Floor, Tintagel House, Office 709,
London, SE1 7TY, United Kingdom
Website: ShipServ.com • Support and regional contacts: Contact page
Shipowners save by:
Practical savings usually come from time, control, and fewer procurement mistakes, not just unit price. Learn more: Buyer solutions
  • Reducing RFQ admin time through a structured workflow: Instead of chasing quotes across multiple inbox threads, teams can keep RFQs, supplier responses, and follow-ups in one procurement flow. The measurable “save” is often fewer hours spent coordinating, re-sending, and re-keying information.
  • Cutting quote comparison friction: When supplier responses arrive in a consistent format, buyers spend less time normalizing quotes and more time checking what matters: lead time, availability, substitution notes, documentation, and delivery terms.
  • Expanding supplier reach without starting from zero each port call: ShipServ is positioned as a marketplace connecting buyers to a global supplier network, which can reduce the scramble when a vessel is in an unfamiliar port or when a preferred supplier is unavailable.
  • Creating a cleaner audit trail for internal controls: A single place to reference RFQs, quotes, and transaction records helps procurement teams support audits and internal approvals with less back-and-forth and fewer missing attachments.
  • Reducing avoidable errors that cause delays onboard: Standardizing RFQ details (part numbers, quantities, delivery window, and documentation requirements) reduces the risk of wrong-item deliveries that create re-orders, courier premiums, or schedule disruption.
  • Supporting procurement scale for multi-vessel fleets: ShipServ describes its model as connecting hundreds of maritime customers and tens of thousands of suppliers, which matters most when a team is managing repeat buys across many ports and vessels.
  • Getting regional help when needed: ShipServ publishes regional contacts and business hours (for example APAC support via Singapore), which helps when procurement teams need platform support during live port-call windows.
Notes: Results depend on supplier participation and how disciplined your RFQ templates and approval steps are. Confirm process fit and commercial terms directly with ShipServ before rolling out fleetwide.
Notable mentions and external references
A quick, source-backed snapshot of where ShipServ appears in corporate updates, industry coverage, and official records.
  • ShipServ joining the Marcura group ShipServ announcement
    ShipServ published its own acquisition announcement describing the combination with Marcura and the scale of the combined group. Read the ShipServ announcement .
  • Industry coverage of the Marcura–ShipServ deal Seatrade Maritime
    Seatrade Maritime covered the acquisition and summarized the combined platform positioning and network size referenced at the time. View Seatrade’s coverage .
  • Acquisition context for procurement + maritime services The Maritime Executive
    The Maritime Executive summarized why the acquisition matters in the broader “digital services for operators” landscape, referencing ShipServ’s procurement marketplace role. Read the deal overview .
  • Ownership / investment-side announcement Marlin Equity Partners
    Marlin Equity Partners published a transaction note about Marcura acquiring ShipServ, useful for confirming timing and high-level framing. View the Marlin note .
  • Registered company filings (UK) Companies House
    UK Companies House filing history for ShipServ Limited is a useful official reference for corporate record checks (including registered / inspection address updates). Open ShipServ Limited filing history .
  • Supplier workflow documentation ShipServ PDF
    ShipServ’s SmartSupplier Quick Start guide describes how suppliers receive RFQs and purchase orders, submit quotations, and manage transactions. View SmartSupplier Quick Start (PDF) .
This list is illustrative, not exhaustive. It’s designed to give procurement teams quick “click-through” references when validating fit and context.
Quote-chasing time estimator
A simple way to estimate how much time your team spends sending “just checking in” follow-ups for RFQs. Use it as a planning tool, not a promised outcome.
Enter your numbers to estimate monthly chasing volume and time.
Notes: This assumes you follow up once with each non-responding supplier. Real workflows vary by category, urgency, and port-call windows.

ShipServ is easiest to justify when your procurement team is juggling high RFQ volume across many ports and vendors, and the real pain is coordination, consistency, and traceability. If you already run a tight process, the platform tends to be an enabler. If your current workflow is more ad-hoc, the biggest win usually comes from tightening RFQ templates and supplier expectations so the tool has clean inputs to work with.

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By the ShipUniverse Editorial Team — About Us | Contact