Onboard Inventory and Storage Course
This course teaches you to manage spares, consumables and provisions on board safely and efficiently. You will learn to classify stock by criticality and turnover, design stores with safe stowage and controlled conditions, run requisition, purchasing and port delivery processes, set reorder levels and cycle counts, manage expiry dates and obsolescence, and build a digital inventory system with SOPs and KPIs.
Prior knowledge check
These are the skills this program gives you. Tick the ones you already master and we will tell you which part of the syllabus is for you.
You are starting from scratch in this subject. The program is designed precisely for that.
What is the Onboard Inventory and Storage Course?
This short course covers onboard inventory and storage from the master item list to the audit. You will study the scope of shipboard inventory, stock types such as technical spares, consumables, hotel and F&B supplies, safety equipment and tools, ABC/XYZ and criticality classification, coding and standardization, traceability, store zoning by risk and compatibility, stowage and securing, layout and picking, environmental conditions, high-value stores, the provisioning cycle, supplier management and SLAs, technical and administrative receipt, quality control of consumables and food, port delivery incidents, stock and reorder policies, consumption by work order, cycle counts, FEFO/FIFO, obsolescence, CMMS/ERP tools, SOPs, dashboards, budgeting and audits.
What sets this course apart: it is designed around the realities of a ship, where space is limited, the vessel moves and resupply depends on port calls; it links inventory with maintenance through consumption by work order and CMMS tools; it gives practical weight to safe stowage, hazardous materials segregation and protection against salt and humidity; and it ends with a project in which you build an integrated onboard inventory system with SOPs, KPIs and continuous improvement.
Program highlights
- Stock classification by criticality, turnover, lead time and obsolescence.
- Onboard store design: zoning, safe stowage, securing and environmental control.
- Provisioning and port deliveries: requisitions, suppliers, receipt and quality control.
- Stock control: reorder points, safety stock, cycle counts and FEFO/FIFO.
- Digital tools: CMMS/ERP, labeling, locations and end-to-end traceability.
- Final project: an integrated onboard inventory system with SOPs and KPIs.
Syllabus of the Onboard Inventory and Storage Course
5 modules. Select a module to see its content.
Fundamentals of onboard inventory management: operational objectives, stock classification and document traceability
- 1.1. Scope of shipboard inventory: safety, operational continuity, customer service and cost control by system and department
- 1.2. Types of stock on board: technical spares, consumables, hotel/F&B, safety equipment, tools and critical equipment
- 1.3. Classification by criticality and turnover: ABC/XYZ, operational criticality, lead time, obsolescence and target service levels
- 1.4. Coding and standardization: SKU, nomenclature, units of measure, lots and serial numbers and rules for adding and removing items
- 1.5. Traceability and evidence: records, logistics log, receipt and consumption documents and version control of master lists
Onboard store design: zoning, safe stowage, environmental conditions and operational accessibility
- 2.1. Zoning by risk and compatibility: technical items, chemicals, food, textiles, waste and mandatory segregation
- 2.2. Principles of stowage and securing: stability, lashing, vibration, ship motion and prevention of damage during internal handling
- 2.3. Layout and accessibility: locations, aisles, signage, efficient picking and shorter search times in real operation
- 2.4. Controlled environmental conditions: temperature, humidity, ventilation, corrosion, protection against salt and storage by product family
- 2.5. Managing high-value stores: access control, blind counts, custody, records and internal audit
Provisioning and receipt processes: purchasing, consolidation, quality control and port deliveries
- 3.1. The provisioning cycle: requisition, approval, purchase, consolidation, dispatch, delivery at port call and receipt confirmation
- 3.2. Supplier management and SLAs: specifications, equivalent substitutes, lead times, document traceability and control of non-conformities
- 3.3. Technical and administrative receipt: checking quantities, condition, compatibility, certificates and documentation for critical equipment
- 3.4. Quality control of consumables and F&B: expiry dates, lots, packaging integrity, cold chain where applicable and rejection criteria
- 3.5. Port delivery incidents: shortages, damage, wrong references, returns and corrective actions with evidence
Stock control and replenishment: methods, cycle counts, stockout prevention and expiry management
- 4.1. Stock and replenishment policies: minimums and maximums, reorder point, safety stock, periodic review and service levels
- 4.2. Consumption management by work order: allocation to equipment and systems, traceability by job and control of deviations
- 4.3. Cycle counts and audits: planning, sampling by criticality, reconciliation of differences and document discipline
- 4.4. Expiry dates and lots: FEFO/FIFO, alerts, segregation, preventive withdrawal and shrinkage management
- 4.5. Obsolescence and technical equivalents: substitutions, compatibility, supplier changes and updating master lists
Digitalization, indicators and final project: an integrated onboard inventory system with SOPs, KPIs and continuous improvement
- 5.1. Tools and systems: master sheets, CMMS/ERP, scanners, labeling, location control and end-to-end traceability
- 5.2. Standard operating procedures (SOPs): receipt, storage, picking, returns, counts and change control
- 5.3. Dashboard: turnover, fill rate, stockouts, inventory accuracy, obsolescence, expiries and cost by category
- 5.4. Budget planning: historical consumption, seasonality, campaigns, lead times and optimization of total inventory cost
- 5.5. Audit and compliance: evidence, non-conformities, CAPA actions, periodic review and operational risk control
Duration and format of the Onboard Inventory and Storage Course
It is 300 hours. Tell us how many you can study each week and we will tell you when you will really finish.
This is the pace at which most students finish. It fits well with the installment plan.
Academic leadership and faculty
The Navalis teaching team: working professionals who teach and supervise the programs.
Dr. Marina AlcoverAcademic Director and Head of Quality Assurance
Eng. Diego CifuentesSenior Lecturer in Naval Welding and Non-Destructive Testing; Head of QA/QC for Welded Joints
Capt. Javier Abaroa (MCA)Senior Lecturer in Ship Handling, Electronic Navigation (ECDIS/Radar/ARPA) and GMDSS; STCW Compliance and Bridge Resource Management Coordinator
Dr. Pau FerrerSenior Lecturer in Naval Architecture and Simulation; Director of the Hydrodynamics and CFD Laboratory
Dr. Nuria LlobregatSenior Lecturer in Marine Meteorology, SAR and Operational Safety; Navigation Risk Management Coordinator
Eng. Javier BañulsSenior Lecturer in Electrical Engineering, Automation and ETO Engineering; Electronic Integration and Engine Alarms Coordinator
Eng. Sofía MarquinaSenior Lecturer in Materials, Composites and Corrosion Protection; Coordinator of the Advanced Paints and Coatings Line
Eng. Tomás RieraSenior Lecturer in Propulsion, Alternative Energy and Hybrid Systems; Energy Performance and Vibration CoordinatorObjectives of the Onboard Inventory and Storage Course
Career opportunities after the Onboard Inventory and Storage Course
Questions about the Onboard Inventory and Storage Course
To ensure that the supplies, equipment and spares needed for the safe and efficient operation of the vessel are available when required.
Technical spares, consumables, hotel and F&B supplies, safety equipment, tools and critical equipment, each with its own storage and control needs.
Store zoning covers segregation by risk and compatibility, and the objectives include identifying, classifying and storing hazardous materials according to their safety data sheets.
ABC/XYZ classification, minimum and maximum levels, reorder points, safety stock, cycle counts, FEFO/FIFO and consumption by work order.
You build an integrated onboard inventory system with SOPs, a KPI dashboard, a budget approach and audit controls.
Fully online, through a virtual campus available 24/7, with live sessions that are recorded and tutorials with the teaching staff.
The course comprises 300 hours of study across 5 modules of about 60 hours each and ends with an applied project. You can progress at your own pace within the schedule set when you enroll.
More programs in Cargo and logistics
Admission process
No waiting for a call back. If your documents are in order, you can enroll in the same session.
- Profile: aimed at deck and engine personnel responsible for inventory on board, including officers and supervisory crew, technical superintendents and purchasing staff, internal and external auditors, HSEQ managers, and maritime suppliers and logistics companies; training in logistics or warehouse management, or experience of inventory and storage on board, is recommended, together with familiarity with hazardous materials handling.
- Language: sufficient command of English to follow the classes and the technical documentation.
- Technical resources: a computer with a stable internet connection, an up-to-date browser and spreadsheet software; experience with a CMMS or ERP system is helpful.
- Admission: online application, review of your profile and a short interview with the academic team.
- 01ApplicationYour details, background and documents.
- 02Instant reviewWe check that everything is complete and in order.
- 03EnrollmentChoose full payment or instalments and reserve your place.
Admission is provisional until the committee validates the documents provided. If you do not meet the requirements, the full amount is refunded.
Ask us before you enroll
Leave your details and admissions will write to you to answer any questions. If you are already sure, you can apply and pay in the same session.