The Maritime Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport takes necessary measures to develop shipping, shipbuilding and related industries including promotion of the research and development on advanced ship technology, establishment of rules and regulations for ship safety and marine pollution, conducts of ship inspections and tonnage measurements as well as international cooperation through the OECD Council Working Party on Shipbuilding and the Asia-Pacific Shipbuilding Expert Meeting.

　To implement the research and development of technology in the whole fields of shipping and shipbuilding including ocean engineering, in according to the administrative program for the purpose of maritime transport innovation, the effective use of ocean space and resources, and the preservation of marine environment.

　To improve the supply-demand imbalance of the shipbuilding industry and to promote R&D on advanced ship technologies.

　To help modernize Japan's shipbuilding and related industries, SOF has since its establishment in 1975 been involved with a wide range of activities, such as development of a superconducting magnetohydro-dynamic propulsion ship and CIMS for shipbuilding use, as well as research into shipbuilding technology, to name just a few. In an overall effort to address marine issues, SOF established an Ocean Policy Think Tank in April 2000 based on the principle of man's coexistence with the sea, and initiated researchers into ocean governance and other important themes.

　To help the shipbuilding Industry achieve sound development by promoting friendship among its members and their common Interest, and thereby to contribute to the well-being of related Industries and public welfare.

　To contribute to the progress and development of medium size shipbuilders, promote their export marketing, and help related industries achieve further growth.

・Singapore (Refer to Shipbuilding Division, JETRO Singapore)

・Paris(Refer to Shipbuilding Department, JETRO Paris)

・New York (Refer to Shipbuilding Department, JETRO New York)

　To engage in activities for the prevention of unfair export transactions, establishment of orderly export marketing practices and promotion of the common interest of its members, and thereby to contribute to the sound development of ship export trade.

　・London (Refer to Japan Ship Centre)

・New York (Refer to Ship Machinery Division, JETRO New York)

・Shanghai (Refer to Ship Machinery Department, JETRO Shanghai)

・London (Refer to Ship Machinery Department, Japan Ship Centre)

　To contribute to the promotion of international cooperation in the maritime and shipbuilding fields, providing training services for developing countries as well as consultancy services as an independent consultant.

　To contribute to the improvement of shipbuilding technologies through model experiments on ships and propellers, technical calculations, designing and supervising, investigations, and R&D activities. And to implement research, planning, designing, supervising and testing on Mega-Float (Ultra-large Floating Structure).