What Is Bridge Command and What Can You Do With It?

Updated

Bridge Command is a free, open-source 3D ship and radar simulator for Windows, macOS, and Linux, built as a training tool for navigation, radar operation, ship handling, and other seamanship skills. It suits anyone who wants to practise bridge work on a PC — from individual learners to instructors running scenario-based exercises — and it can run on a single computer with no extra hardware, or scale up to physical controls and multi-screen panoramic views.

What the simulator covers

The program combines a real-time 3D view with a simulated marine radar picture. According to the project's own description, the radar includes standard controls such as gain and clutter, plus features like parallel indexes and ARPA contact tracking. The environment can also be set to night or fog conditions, so you can train in reduced visibility rather than only in clear daylight.

Its stated purpose is training in:

  • Navigation and chartwork
  • Radar operation and contact tracking
  • Ship handling
  • General seamanship skills

How it can be set up

Bridge Command is designed to scale with your needs rather than locking you into one configuration:

Setup What it involves
Single computer Runs with no additional devices required
Physical controls Can be run with physical controls connected
Trainer + trainee A trainer can control scenarios from a second computer to run exercises
Single screen Displays on one screen
Panoramic view Can span multiple screens using multiple computers

The multi-computer panoramic option is what makes it usable as a small bridge mock-up rather than just a desktop exercise.

Flexibility and customisation

The project describes the simulation as "very highly flexible": the environmental model, ships, buoys, individual scenarios, and almost all aspects of the simulation can be configured to your own needs. In practice that means you are not limited to the scenarios shipped with the program — you can build exercises around the conditions, vessels, and situations you actually want to train.

Licensing and cost

Bridge Command is released under the General Public Licence v2 and is available for both commercial and non-commercial use. The program itself is described as free.

One caveat worth knowing: the ship models distributed with Bridge Command are not covered by the GPL. Their authors permitted them to be used with Bridge Command only, so they may not be reused for other purposes without the authors' prior permission. If you plan to repurpose assets, check this separately from the program licence.

Development and platform details

Bridge Command is developed by James Packer in C++ using the Irrlicht engine. Version 5 is a complete rewrite of the program; compatibility with earlier versions has been maintained as much as possible, but some differences exist. The source code is available on GitHub at https://github.com/bridgecommand/bc, and the project states it is under continual development with user feedback treated as important.

Is it the right tool for you?

Bridge Command fits well if you want a no-cost way to practise navigation, radar work, and ship handling, and especially if you want to configure your own scenarios or build a multi-screen setup. It is less suited if you need certified training software with formal accreditation, or if you want a ready-made course rather than a configurable simulator — the project positions itself as a flexible training tool, not a packaged curriculum.

To get started, download it from the project's download page and check the documentation and charts sections of the site for setup guidance.