Advancing Maritime Training Through a VR-Enhanced Ship Bridge Simulator: A Preliminary Usability Analysis

The integration of Virtual Reality (VR) into Maritime Education and Training (MET) has emerged as a transformative approach to enhancing seafarer competence. This study builds on the CAL-TEK case study, which demonstrated the effectiveness of VR-enhanced ship bridge simulators in providing immersive, realistic, and interactive training experiences. By extending previous research, this paper evaluates the broader impact of VR on MET, focusing on its ability to improve technical skills, decision-making, situational awareness and teamwork. The adaptability of VR simulators to diverse training scenarios, such as adverse weather navigation, emergency response, and port operations is also examined, highlighting their role in preparing seafarers for real-world challenges. The study emphasizes VR’s ability to replicate complex maritime environments in a safe, controlled setting and its flexibility in customizing training programs to meet specific operational and regulatory requirements. Furthermore, it presents an analysis of the CAL-TEK ship bridge simulator, emphasizing its innovative VR components and their interactions. The comparison between the VR solution and traditional simulators highlights significant advantages in terms of usability. However, challenges related to implementation cost, cognitive load and complexity remain. Future research should focus on reducing costs, simplifying technology, enhancing realism through advanced sensory feedback and integrating AI (Artificial Intelligence) to provide adaptive training environments, ultimately fostering the development of skilled maritime professionals ready to meet contemporary maritime challenges.