Rolls-Royce_oX

Rolls-Royce and Finland’s VTT Technical Research Centre have unveiled the latest vision of ship intelligence, known as the Future Operator Experience Concept or ‘oX’.

Rolls-Royce has worked together with VTT’s researchers and Aalto University to develop the futuristic ship’s bridge concept. The Future Operator Experience Concept is expected to be launched by 2025.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

This new concept will offer the crew smart workstations that automatically identify individuals when they walk into the bridge, and adjust to their own preferences, Rolls-Royce said.

The bridge’s windows will serve as augmented reality displays of the vessel’s surroundings, enabling the operators to identify potential hazards that are normally not visible to the human eye.

"This new concept will offer the crew smart workstations that automatically identify individuals when they walk into the bridge, and adjust to their own preferences."

Rolls-Royce president (Marine) Mikael Makinen said: "With the demands of environmental legislation and rising operating costs, ships are going to become more complex. Add to that the fact that skilled crews are already in short supply, then we see a distinct gap opening up between the complexity of ships and the competency of the people who will crew them.

"That will cause real problems for the industry and we believe it is ship intelligence that will fill that gap."

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

The new concept will use the latest digital techniques including 3D animation to offer safer and more energy efficient ship operations.

Recently, Rolls-Royce’s Unified Bridge system started operation on the vessel, Stril Luna, and is now coordinating the operation of on-board equipment ranging from engines to propulsion and cargo handling.


Image: The new concept will offer augmented reality displays of the vessel’s surroundings. Photo: courtesy of Rolls-Royce plc.

Ship Technology Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Ship Technology Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
From automated chartering invoices to EU ETS and CII management, Ankeri Solutions’ maritime SaaS platform has earned three Ship Technology Excellence Awards for 2025. See how Ankeri is helping shipowners and charterers boost efficiency, cut emissions, and collaborate better across complex global fleets.

Discover the Impact