Aafreen Ship Chandlers

Down at 20, Angappan Naicken Street, things start pretty early. Being ship chandlers means our schedule is mostly dictated by when the ships come in and when they need to head back out. We’re the ones who make sure they have everything from food supplies to technical spare parts and whatever else a crew might need for a long time at sea. The street outside is usually a bit of a squeeze with delivery vans and people rushing around. Our shop is packed to the ceiling with all sorts of inventory. You’ll see sacks of grain sitting next to engine oil and heavy-duty ropes. It’s a bit of a maze, but we know exactly where everything is hidden away. We spend a lot of time on the phone or down at the docks, making sure the deliveries get to the right vessel before it leaves. It’s a lot of heavy lifting and sometimes the hours are a bit strange, but that’s just how the maritime business works. We don’t really have a normal office routine. Some days are slow and we just sit around drinking tea, but then three ships will call at once and it’s total chaos for forty-eight hours straight. We’ve been at this location for years, and most of the port workers know our faces by now. It’s a tough way to make a living, but it’s what we know.