This document was developed in response to maritime industry demand and International Maritime Organization (IMO) request for a standard providing requirements for the design and testing of electronic record books on ships. The industry's trend toward paperless systems, together with the technological and practical needs for electronic record books, strengthens the necessity for such a standard. The minimal technical and operational specifications for the use of electronic record books (ELRB) on ships are outlined in this document.It intends to provide a technical foundation for the replacement of paper logbooks for manufacturers, operators, marine administrations, and owners.