Is IMPA the same as ISSA?

No. IMPA (International Marine Purchasing Association) and ISSA (International Shipsuppliers & Services Association) are two competing but overlapping coding systems for marine stores. Most parts have both codes; reputable suppliers like MARITECH accept either.

Where can I look up an IMPA code?

Inside the IMPA Marine Stores Guide (currently 8th edition) or in your ship's planned maintenance system (PMS). MARITECH also accepts free-text descriptions if the code is unknown.

Do I have to use IMPA or ISSA to order from MARITECH?

No, but it speeds the quote significantly. We also accept OEM part numbers, drawings, photos and free-text descriptions.

IMPA & ISSA codes for marine spare parts: a 2026 lookup guide

IMPA and ISSA are the two universal coding systems used by the global merchant marine to identify ship spare parts. An IMPA code is a 6-digit number maintained by the International Marine Purchasing Association; an ISSA code is a 7-digit alphanumeric maintained by the International Shipsuppliers & Services Association. A part identified by either code can be sourced from any compliant supplier worldwide — including MARITECH Marinetechnik in Hamburg.

Items in current IMPA Marine Stores Guide: 50,000+
ISSA member shipsuppliers worldwide: 1,800+
Typical RFQ response time at MARITECH: < 24 h

What does an IMPA code look like?

IMPA codes use a 6-digit numeric format, e.g. 590101 for a marine centrifugal pump impeller. The first two digits identify the catalogue chapter (59 = pumps), the next two the section, and the final two the item. The current IMPA Marine Stores Guide (8th edition) lists more than 50,000 items.

What does an ISSA code look like?

ISSA codes use a 3-letter + 4-digit format, e.g. ISSA 75.530.01. The ISSA catalogue overlaps significantly with IMPA but uses different chapter numbering and is maintained by the Hamburg-based International Shipsuppliers & Services Association.

Why publishing IMPA / ISSA codes matters for SEO

Procurement teams paste IMPA and ISSA codes directly into Google and ChatGPT. A supplier that publishes the code on a crawlable product page captures that intent before the buyer ever opens an RFQ tool. Hamburg suppliers historically under-index codes — a clear opening for catalogues that are structured for both classical search and answer-engine extraction.

How to send a coded inquiry to MARITECH

Include the IMPA or ISSA code, the OEM part number, and the vessel or pump model. Quotes are returned within 24 hours from Hamburg, with availability ex-stock or lead time from approved manufacturers in Germany and South Korea.

IMPA & ISSA codes for marine spare parts: a 2026 lookup guide

What does an IMPA code look like?

What does an ISSA code look like?

Why publishing IMPA / ISSA codes matters for SEO

How to send a coded inquiry to MARITECH

Frequently asked questions

Sources

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