Maritime Head-up Display (mHUD): a safety-enhancing navigational tool for ship bridges and remote operation centres

Abstract Maritime navigation in low visibility presents a significant challenge, jeopardising seafarers’ situational awareness and escalating collision risks. This study introduces a maritime head-up display (mHUD) to address this issue. The mHUD, a 2-m diameter aluminium ring with dual rows of LEDs, enhances visibility for autonomous ships in adverse conditions on ship bridges and remote operating centres (ROCs). Displaying various modes such as shallow waters, land, lighthouses, beacons, buoys and maritime traffic, the mHUD was evaluated in a ship bridge simulator by 12 navigation students. Results revealed that the mHUD substantially improved situational awareness, proving more efficient and effective than navigating without it in poor visibility conditions. Participants found the mHUD easy to learn and expressed willingness to use it in real-world situations. The study highlights the mHUD’s potential to enhance situational awareness on ship bridges and ROCs for autonomous ships, while suggesting potential enhancements to increase usability and user satisfaction.