Understanding the Shift from Printed to Digital Manuals
For decades, printed manuals have been a regulatory requirement for all machinery sold in the European Union, especially those falling under the EU Machinery Directive. This includes a vast range of equipment produced by marine OEMs, from propulsion systems to onboard electronics and control units.
However, a significant regulatory update is on the horizon. Starting in January 2027, the EU’s Machinery Directive will be officially replaced by the new Machinery Regulation—a move that brings several key changes, especially regarding the format of product manuals.
What the New Machinery Regulation Says
Under the new Machinery Regulation, manufacturers will enjoy increased flexibility in how they deliver operating instructions to their customers. This is a crucial development for companies in the marine industry, where space-saving, sustainability, and digital integration are becoming ever more important.
The regulatory update introduces a pivotal statement in Chapter 10, Article 10(7):
“Manufacturers shall ensure that the machinery or related products are accompanied by the instructions for use and the information set out in Annex III. The instructions may be provided in a digital format. Such instructions and information shall clearly describe the product model to which they correspond.“
This is groundbreaking. For the first time, the EU regulation explicitly states that “instructions may be provided in a digital format.”
What This Means for Marine OEMs
This change opens the door for marine equipment manufacturers to replace paper manuals with digital manuals, provided they comply with specific conditions. Many manufacturers have been asking if they can switch to digital formats to reduce costs, improve accessibility, and support sustainability goals. The short answer is: yes, but with important caveats.
You Still Need to Be Ready to Provide Paper Manuals
Despite the green light for digital formats, the new regulation is not a blanket approval to eliminate printed manuals entirely. The Machinery Regulation still requires manufacturers to be able to provide paper manuals upon request, especially in cases where:
- Digital access is not possible for the user.
- Paper format is necessary for safety or operational clarity.
- End-user explicitly requests printed documentation.
In other words, digital manuals can become the default—but you must still be prepared to provide printed manuals on demand.
Benefits of Switching to Digital Manuals
Adopting digital manuals for marine equipment offers several advantages:
1. Cost Savings and Environmental Impact
- Printing, shipping, and storing large volumes of manuals is costly and environmentally taxing.
- A switch to digital can help OEMs reduce paper waste and carbon emissions.
2. Easy Access and Searchability
- Digital manuals can be accessed from mobile devices, tablets, or onboard computers.
- Search functions and hyperlinks enhance usability and speed up troubleshooting.
3. Real-Time Updates
- Manufacturers can update manuals without the need to reprint or redistribute.
- This ensures operators always have access to the most current safety and operational instructions.
4. Multimedia Integration
- Digital formats can include videos, animations, or interactive schematics, offering clearer guidance than static images or text alone.
Regulatory Conditions to Watch
While the potential benefits are substantial, the new Machinery Regulation sets clear conditions for digital manuals:
- The digital manual must clearly identify the product model it refers to.
- The digital version must meet the same content and clarity standards as a printed manual.
- Users must be informed of how to access the digital manual at the time of purchase.
- A paper copy must still be made available upon user request.
In summary: you can go digital, but you must remain compliant.
Our Expertise in Digital Manual Readiness
At PerformanSea, we’ve been preparing for this transition long before the 2027 deadline. Our technical manual workflow is already optimized for both digital and paper formats—meaning our clients don’t have to choose one over the other.
Many of our customers were surprised to find out that they already have fully functional digital manuals as a byproduct of their printed documentation process. Thanks to our modular content design and automated publishing tools, we can easily generate optimized outputs for web, PDF, and mobile platforms—without extra effort or cost.
We specialize in working with marine OEMs, and our team understands the unique regulatory and technical documentation needs of the industry. Whether you are preparing for new product releases or seeking compliance with evolving EU regulations, PerformanSea is ready to help you transition smoothly to digital manuals.
Conclusion
The upcoming EU Machinery Regulation marks a turning point in how manufacturers, especially marine OEMs, handle product manuals. While the door is now open for digital documentation, the responsibility for clarity, access, and regulatory compliance still falls squarely on the manufacturer.
Digital manuals offer tremendous benefits—from cost savings and environmental impact reduction to ease of access and real-time updates. But to harness these benefits, companies must ensure their manuals meet the new standards.
If you’re considering a shift toward digital, now is the time to audit your documentation process and make sure you’re ready. At PerformanSea, we’ve already helped numerous clients future-proof their technical documentation workflows—ensuring they are not only compliant but ahead of the curve.