Every quay, pier and dolphin face is fitted out for the biggest ship that fits it: fenders sized for her berthing energy, bollards all along. Put your own on any of them too: tap near a face to add a bollard on it or a fender on it, or tap one to take it away. Your changes are kept for each scenario on this device; RESET puts the scenario’s own back.

A training aid, not a procedure. Every statement says whether it is measured data, published guidance or what this simulator’s model does. There is no single global standard for handling podded or azimuthing propulsion, so the ship’s manual and your company’s procedures always come first. Like the rest of SHIPSHAPE it is not for navigation.

With damage on, hard contact (a quay, a bank, a fender crushed flat, another ship) and running aground cost what they would. A light touch dents the plating; a harder one breaches it and the sea comes in, sinking, trimming and listing her and slowing her down. A hit at the stern or bow can cost a propeller, pod, rudder or the bow thruster. Flood too much and she can capsize or founder. The DAMAGE button opens damage control. Off, she bounces off like a training ship.

Ships from the fleet go about their business round you: under way to somewhere of their own, steering and slowing like real ships, stopping and moving on; others lie at anchor and swing to the wind and current, or hold station where it is too deep to anchor. They keep clear of you and of each other as the collision regulations ask, so give way when it is yours to do. The AIS mini map in the corner shows them round you, turning with the chart, with red for any that will pass too close; tap one for its range, bearing, CPA and time to CPA, and to mark it on the chart. Tap the range to change it. Fewer ships come out in narrow water.

Clean chart detail (default) shows the predicted bow and stern tracks with ghost hulls and the forward/aft side speeds; Full adds the shoulder tracks, time labels, force arrows, wash marks and the effects list. Onboard runs the predictor the way a real bridge does: from sensor readings, an estimated current, measured wind and a ship model that is a few percent off. Ideal sees the truth. PRED cycles off, track only, and track plus what-if.

This browser has no vibration support (Safari on iPhone and iPad does not offer it to web apps), so haptics are off here.