May 13, 2026
NAPA Logbook receives Japan flag approval for electronic MARPOL logbooks
Electronic statutory record keeping helps Japan-flagged vessels reduce administrative workload, strengthen audit readiness, and support wider digitalization goals.
Helsinki, Finland: NAPA, the global provider of maritime software and data services, has received approval from Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) for NAPA Logbook to be used as an electronic record-keeping solution on ships under the Japanese flag.
NAPA is one of the first to have received this type of approval for electronic MARPOL logbooks for Japan-flagged vessels. With over 4,000 ships sailing under the Japanese flag, this approval opens a major opportunity to accelerate digitalization across one of the world’s leading maritime flag states.
This approval comes at an important time for the Japanese shipping industry. Statutory logbook practices have remained largely paper-based, and approvals for electronic logbooks have been extremely rare. However, reporting expectations from regulators, charterers and financiers, as well as the need to reduce crew workload, are all driving the need for more efficient, transparent and digital compliance processes.
The approval means Japan-flagged vessels can now keep selected MARPOL logbooks in electronic format using NAPA Logbook, while the collected data can also be made available to shoreside teams through the NAPA Fleet Intelligence cloud solution. This will support Japanese shipowners in simplifying compliance and audit processes, improving ship-to-shore visibility, and reducing onboard administrative workload.
The approval covers selected MARPOL record books, including the Ballast Water Record Book, Oil Record Book Parts I and II, Garbage Record Book Parts I and II, and the Cargo Record Book. The approval has been granted in accordance with the guidelines of MEPC.312(74) and MEPC.372(80), and also accounts for specific requirements from the Japanese flag administration regarding logbook report formats and signatures.
Tommi Vihavainen, Product Owner, NAPA Logbook, Safety Solutions, NAPA commented: “This approval removes one of the biggest barriers that has prevented Japanese shipowners from moving from paper-based workflows to fully digital reporting. For ship owners and operators, the value is in easier compliance, better audit readiness, and connecting logbook data with wider fleet performance, reporting and operational workflows through a single platform.”
Naoki Mizutani, Managing Director, NAPA Japan, said: “Japanese shipowners are operating in an environment of growing regulatory complexity, shaped by evolving environmental regulations, rising expectations for transparent data, and increasing pressure to improve workflow efficiency both onboard and onshore. With this in mind, digital logbooks are not only a compliance tool but also an important foundation for enhanced fleet monitoring and data reporting.”
With more than 500 vessels equipped with NAPA Logbook globally, over 10,000 active users, and deployments across more than 20 flags, NAPA is well placed to support Japanese maritime digitalization. For shipowners, the approval marks a major step toward digital compliance support, data-driven fleet management, and a more holistic approach to digitalization and decarbonization.
NOTES TO EDITORS
About NAPA
NAPA is a leading provider of software and digital services for the global maritime industry, harnessing data science to enable safer, more sustainable and future-proof shipping. Founded in 1989 to provide smart solutions for ship design, NAPA is now the global reference in shipbuilding, with over 90% of new vessels built by NAPA customers.
Today, the company’s expertise spans the entire lifecycle of a ship, from shipyards to operational safety and efficiency at sea. Over 3000 commercial ships globally sail with NAPA safety and efficiency solutions, which include digital ship stability systems that enable a proactive approach to safety at sea, cloud-based performance monitoring that delivers insights to unlock new operational efficiencies, and voyage optimization solutions that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from voyages. Headquartered in Finland, NAPA employs 220 experts and operates globally, with a presence in Japan, Korea, China, Singapore, the USA, Germany, Greece, Romania and India. For more information, visit: www.napa.fi
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E: chandralekha.mukerji@napa.fi
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