When the cost of waiting is larger than the cost of the flight, which for a vessel off hire or a plant at a standstill it usually is by a wide margin. The service exists for the cases where a next-flight-out freight booking still is not fast enough or carries too much risk of being offloaded.
On-Board Courier: Hand-Carry Delivery Worldwide
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Hand-Carried Delivery of Critical Parts Within Hours
On-Board Courier is the ultimate speed service for maritime spare parts. A Spares Desk team member hand-carries the spare part directly to the vessel, flying commercially with the cargo. This service is used when vessel downtime must be minimised at all costs.
This service is ideal when downtime costs are extremely high, and the part must arrive immediately.
Our On Board Delivery solutions include:
- Cargo & Supplies: Transporting food, fuel, spare parts, and other essentials directly to the vessel.
- Personnel Transfer: Safely moving crew members and specialists onboard.
- Flexible Delivery Methods: Utilizing boats, barges, cranes, and helicopters to accommodate different cargo types and operational needs.
Marine & Ship Spares Express
From urgent air freight deliveries to customs clearance and last-mile coordination, our team ensures your parts arrive on time, every time—no matter where your vessel is. With 24/7 service and a network of trusted carriers and marine hubs, we help you keep operations moving without delay.
- Global Pickup & Delivery
- Express Air Freight & Courier
- Port Clearance & Documentation
- Warehousing & Inventory Management
- 24/7 Operations & Tracking
By streamlining the delivery process, On Board Delivery minimizes turnaround times and supports continuous operations for naval, commercial, and research vessels.
When a Hand-Carry Beats Every Other Option
An on-board courier is a person who checks in with your cargo as accompanied baggage and does not let go of it. It exists for situations where a stopped line, a grounded aircraft or a detained vessel costs more per hour than the flight does in total. Beyond marine spares, the same service moves aircraft-on-ground parts, automotive line-down components, semiconductor tooling and clinical trial samples. Visa, routing and customs treatment are confirmed before booking, since a courier held at immigration defeats the entire point.
Key Features of Our On-Board Courier Service
Zero Cargo Delays
Bypass cargo holds entirely; the part flies with our courier.
Immediate Dispatch
Couriers available 24/7 for instant deployment.
Direct to Chief Engineer
Personal handover on the vessel deck to ensure immediate installation.
Constant Communication
Direct line to the courier throughout the journey.
What You Are Actually Buying
An on-board courier is the fastest option available because it removes the cargo system from the journey. The part travels as a passenger's accompanied baggage rather than as freight, which means no build-up before the flight, no risk of being offloaded for higher-yielding cargo, and no waiting in a transit shed for a connection.
The other thing it removes is uncertainty at the handovers. A named person is with the item from collection to delivery, clears it personally on arrival, and hands it over directly. For a part whose absence is costing more per day than the entire courier fare, that certainty is usually the reason the service is chosen rather than the raw speed.
The constraints are the ones that apply to a passenger. Airline baggage limits govern size and weight, visa requirements govern who can travel where at short notice, and dangerous goods rules govern what can be carried at all - a routine workshop item can be prohibited in a cabin. These are checked before the courier is booked.
How hand-carry compares
| Option | Typical use | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|
| On-board courier | Vessel off hire, plant down, deadline in hours | Cost, baggage limits, and what may lawfully be carried |
| Next-flight-out freight | Urgent but the cargo system can still deliver in time | Risk of offload; time lost to build-up and transit sheds |
| Express courier | Urgent, routine size, standard commodity | Network schedule, not your schedule |
| Standard air freight | Time matters but hours do not | Consolidation and handling at both ends |
On-Board Courier FAQs
When is an on-board courier worth the cost?
How is it faster than express freight?
Because the item never enters the cargo system. It travels as the courier's accompanied baggage, so it is not waiting for a build-up, is not offloaded in favour of higher-paying freight, and is not sitting in a transit shed between connections. The courier stays with it and clears it personally on arrival.
What are the limits on size and contents?
The item has to be something a passenger can lawfully carry, within the airline's baggage limits for weight and dimensions. Dangerous goods are the usual obstacle - a part that is unremarkable in a workshop may be prohibited in a cabin or hold, so the contents need confirming before the courier is booked rather than at the airport.
What do you need to arrange one?
The collection point and the destination, the packed weight and dimensions, a clear description of the item, and the deadline that matters. Visa requirements for the courier and the receiving formalities at the far end are the two things most likely to constrain the routing, so they are checked first.