Manoeuvring Simulation on the Bridge for Predicting Motion of Real Ships and as Training Tool in Ship Handling Simulators

International sea transport has growing rapidly during the period of the last decade. Ships became larger and wider and its container capacity is still increasing to 12.000 TEU and even more. To navigate such vessels safely from port to port and specifically within the ports more and more enhanced computer-based systems are installed on the ships navigational bridges. Prediction tools are very helpful and already in use on ships for a long time. However, the simplification of existing predictions allows restricted use only and do not include the immediate response on changes of rudder and engine. Within this paper investigations into the feasibility and user acceptance of newly developed layout of navigation display will be introduced and selected results of simulation studies testing the influence on manoeuvre performance dependent on different kind of prediction functions will be discussed. Examples will be given for results from test trials in the full mission ship handling simulator of the Maritime Simulation Centre Warnemunde and a concept for the application of the developed .tools for purposes of collision avoidance is described.