Bridge‑simulator tests brought together ports, hydrographic offices, pilots and mariners to help define how next-generation S-100 navigation data will be used at the helm of navigation’s next era 

 As the maritime industry prepares for the next generation of digital navigation, Carnival Corporation & plc , through its Center for Simulator Maritime Training , has completed a trial of bridge simulator tests evaluating S‑100 navigational data in collaboration with international hydrographic offices and industry partners under the International Hydrographic Organization’s S‑100 Test Bed in Confined Waters. S-100 is a new digital framework developed by the IHO to deliver richer, real-time maritime data for more precise and efficient navigation in complex port environments.

The simulator tests brought together ports, marine pilots, shipboard captains and deck officers, shore‑based marine managers, maritime technology providers, and national hydrographic offices from the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand to evaluate S‑100 navigational data in confined‑water environments. The S-100 in confined waters initiative was recognized as an official IHO Test Bed and Sea Trial, and captured user feedback to support the continued evolution of S-100 standards.

Developed within the IHO S‑100 framework using data produced by national hydrographic offices and other industry partners, S‑100 integrates multiple types of safety‑critical maritime information – including electronic charts, port data and real‑time marine conditions such as water levels, tides and currents – into a unified navigational environment displayed on a ship’s Electronic Chart Display Information System (ECDIS). By giving mariners a more complete and dynamic picture of their surroundings as they are operating in real time, S-100 data will significantly improve situational awareness leading to more informed decision-making, which will be particularly powerful to operating safely and efficiently in complex and confined waters where operational margins are small.

“S-100 has the potential to change how ships are navigated, and its full value comes to life when mariners feel confident using it,” said Mark Jackson, managing director, CSMART. “A world-class training environment like ours is the ideal proving ground. By testing S-100 in the simulator first, we can explore how crews interact with the new data to understand what feels intuitive and where training will help support a smooth, practical transition to real-world adoption.”

Evaluating S‑100 in Real‑World Simulator Conditions 

The simulator trials replicated navigation scenarios from four ports, with different operational complexity: the Port of Rotterdam, Netherlands; Port of Napier, New Zealand; Port of Melbourne, Australia and Port of Southampton, United Kingdom. The S-100 test data sets were produced by the national hydrographic offices of Australia, Netherlands, New Zealand and United Kingdom as well as by the Port of Rotterdam, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) and OMC International.

Participants conducted repeated port approaches, transits and departures while using bridge simulators equipped with two S-100 capable ECDIS systems provided by Teledyne and OSI Maritime Systems and two Portable Pilot Units provided by QPS and SEAiq Pilot. All the four systems were connected to two Wartsila Full Mission Bridge simulators.

During the simulations, mariners actively switched between different S‑100 data layers, using datasets developed through the IHO Test Bed by participating national hydrographic offices, while maneuvering through simulated port scenarios with tight operational margins. These layers provided detailed information such as three-dimensional seabed representation, changing tidal heights, water current strength and direction, and under keel clearance management overlays, allowing users to integrate this additional information into planning and conduct of the pilotage.

The simulator environment enabled direct collaboration among end users, data producers and system developers, allowing immediate feedback on data resolution, accuracy, coverage and usability. This approach proved critical to identifying how S-100 products can be optimized for specific port operations without overwhelming the navigator.

“The strength of this test bed was the collaboration between CSMART, national hydrographic offices, ports, pilots and technology providers,” said Antonio Di Lieto, senior manager, simulation studies, CSMART. “Having pilots, ship officers, ship managers, hydrographic offices, port authorities and technology providers working together in the simulator made it possible to look at S-100 from multiple perspectives and feed that insight directly back into IHO standards development, ECDIS design and future training needs.”

Understanding S‑100 and Its Role in Safer Navigation

S-100 represents a significant shift in how navigation data is created, shared and used. Rather than relying solely on static chart information, S-100 enables multiple, dynamic data sources to be layered together, helping mariners better understand changing conditions that directly affect vessel maneuverability in real-time as they are operating.

Thomas Mellor, Head of Technical Partnerships, UK Hydrographic Office added: “These trials are an important step in moving S-100 from concept into operational understanding. By testing the data in realistic bridge scenarios, we’re able to see not just what S-100 can do, but how it is actually experienced by mariners navigating in confined waters.

By bringing in experienced pilots from ports such as Southampton and London, we were able to ground the simulations in real operational knowledge. Their insight was invaluable in demonstrating how S-100 data could be applied in practice, helping to shape how it is implemented in a way that is both usable and relevant for those on the bridge.”

The outcomes from the simulator test beds will be consolidated into technical reporting to support ongoing standards development and future training considerations. The results will continue to inform collaboration across ports, hydrographic offices and industry partners, with further engagement planned at forums including the International Harbour Masters Association (IHMA) Congress later this year.

This IHO S‑100 Test Bed in Confined Waters was delivered through close collaboration among Carnival Corporation and CSMART; the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office; the Netherlands Hydrographic Office; the Australian Hydrographic Office; the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA); Land Information New Zealand; the Port of Rotterdam; the Port of Napier; Port Phillip Sea Pilots (Melbourne); Loodswezen (Rotterdam Pilots); the United Kingdom Maritime Pilots Association; and maritime technology partners including Wärtsilä Voyage Simulation, Teledyne, Raymarine Commercial, SevenCs, OMC International, OSI Maritime Systems, QPS and SEAiq Pilot.