# Ship's logs **URL:** \ **Category:** Professional Mariner Forum\ **Created:** [October 13, 2018, 7:45pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/ships-logs/49478 "2018-10-13T19:45:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![captainsak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@captainsak](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/captainsak)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2018, 7:45pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/ships-logs/49478/1 "2018-10-13T19:45:40Z")
This is my first post so i apologize if this is in the wrong section. I also tried searching for this topic and could not find anything, but again could be looking in the wrong place. I am currently going through our companies ship’s logs. We have 10 vessels and a lot of back logged, ships logs. Does anyone know how many years we need to keep logs on file for. I was told 7 years but am not sure if this is correct? This would be for passenger vessels both T and K boats. Thanks in advance for any info! ---
**Author:** ![dbeierl](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/dbeierl/32/11833_2.png) [@dbeierl](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/dbeierl)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2018, 10:10pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/ships-logs/49478/2 "2018-10-13T22:10:39Z")
@jdcavo ? ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Seadog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/67e7ee/32.png) [@Chief\_Seadog](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Chief_Seadog)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2018, 10:50pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/ships-logs/49478/3 "2018-10-13T22:50:24Z")
Our company had it as 2 or 3 years I forget which. In any case it was specified in our SMS manual. ---
**Author:** ![captainsak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@captainsak](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/captainsak)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2018, 10:59pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/ships-logs/49478/4 "2018-10-13T22:59:14Z")
Thank you. I was unaware if there was a specific time frame that the CG required to keep back logs. ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Seadog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/67e7ee/32.png) [@Chief\_Seadog](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Chief_Seadog)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2018, 12:16am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/ships-logs/49478/5 "2018-10-14T00:16:17Z")
There are several references in the CFR’s that touch on logbooks and records. [https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/46/97.35-3](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/46/97.35-3) ---
**Author:** ![captainsak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@captainsak](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/captainsak)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2018, 12:28am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/ships-logs/49478/6 "2018-10-14T00:28:02Z")
Thanks for the link. As it reads it seams that it is only required for one additional year. Doesn’t seem like a very long time for record keeping. Sounds like it is up to the company and there SMS to keep vessel logs past the required one year as per the CG. Thanks again for looking into this! ---
**Author:** ![DirtyCoast](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/dirtycoast/32/9387_2.png) [@DirtyCoast](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/DirtyCoast)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2018, 12:29am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/ships-logs/49478/7 "2018-10-14T00:29:19Z")
For Subchapter M (towing vessels) it’s one year from the last entry. ---
**Author:** ![RiverRats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f17d59/32.png) [@RiverRats](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/RiverRats)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2018, 11:28pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/ships-logs/49478/8 "2018-10-15T23:28:09Z")
If your vessels have been used in any US government work, you may want to check the contracts to see if they don’t also have a log book and records retention requirement. You may be required by the contracts to preserve the records for up to 5 years after the date the contract ends. ---
**Author:** ![KitsapFerryMOMM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7c8e57/32.png) [@KitsapFerryMOMM](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/KitsapFerryMOMM)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2018, 2:10am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/ships-logs/49478/9 "2018-10-16T02:10:53Z")
We use an electronic log on our passenger vessels which makes it much easier. ---
**Author:** ![portofdc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8797f3/32.png) [@portofdc](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/portofdc)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2018, 10:58am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/ships-logs/49478/10 "2018-10-16T10:58:47Z")
Can you provide more details of your electronic log? Is this an Excel sheet, Word doc or some more sophisticated program? How are you handling redundancy? ---
**Author:** ![KitsapFerryMOMM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7c8e57/32.png) [@KitsapFerryMOMM](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/KitsapFerryMOMM)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2018, 2:07am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/ships-logs/49478/11 "2018-10-19T02:07:19Z")
We use HELM, it is a company based in Victoria BC and does a lot for the tow boat industry but my company and the Victoria clipper uses it. It does logs, maintenance, personal, payroll stuff. You can purchase separate modules to use. ---
**Author:** ![ombugge](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/ombugge/32/11217_2.png) [@ombugge](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/ombugge)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2018, 9:45am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/ships-logs/49478/12 "2018-10-19T09:45:27Z")
Don’t know if it applies to ships in domestic US trade, but inn the rest of the world any electronic log book used on ships must comply with IMO Resolution A.916(22) “Guidelines for the recording of events related to navigation” and approved by the flag state authority. Here is the regulations issued by MPA Singapore: [https://www.mpa.gov.sg/web/portal/home/port-of-singapore/circulars-and-notices/detail/c58e94cf-320c-4b65-9e62-1b25e4424a5a](https://www.mpa.gov.sg/web/portal/home/port-of-singapore/circulars-and-notices/detail/c58e94cf-320c-4b65-9e62-1b25e4424a5a) Kongsberg offer an electronic log book called K-Book: [https://www.km.kongsberg.com/ks/web/nokbg0240.nsf/AllWeb/82ED0D55C83A4812C1257E4B0031580B?OpenDocument](https://www.km.kongsberg.com/ks/web/nokbg0240.nsf/AllWeb/82ED0D55C83A4812C1257E4B0031580B?OpenDocument) K-Book software system is; “making logbook entries quick and easy. Meeting requirements of IMO, Marpol, SOLAS and several flag states for replacing many of the traditional paper logbooks”.