New App Teaches COLREGs

Columbia Group has launched a mobile and web-based app designed to teach the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs).

The COLREGs Challenge is an educational tool which uses gameplay to turn regulatory learning into an immersive, interactive experience.

Targeted at cadets, junior officers, and developed in collaboration with 4Growth.com BV, the app presently includes more than 20 interactive modules covering practical maritime scenarios. More modules will be introduced soon.

Themed campaigns cover basic navigation, collision avoidance, lights and shapes, and signals and buoys.

Game styles include bridge view, radar simulation, ECDIS-style navigation, puzzle quizzes, and arcade mini-games. The app includes performance tracking with scores, achievements, and fleet-wide leaderboards as well as motivation through play with unlockable achievements, feedback-driven learning, and mission-based storytelling.

Group Director of Training, Stewart Bankier said: “It is essential we understand the new learning needs of our seafarers, particularly our younger generation and how to keep them engaged and challenged in their careers.

“Gamified training tools provides educational, fun and challenging modules to help crews easily digest learning materials. The COLREGs Challenge is a fantastic resource allowing users to play out real-world scenarios in a fun and engaging gaming experience.”

The COLREGs Challenge presents complex navigational decisions in fun and intuitive formats:

• Bridge (BDG) – Take control from the captain’s chair, adjusting course and speed in real-time.

• Navigation (NAV) – Top-down, ECDIS-style interface for strategic maneuvering.

• Radar (PAN) – Simulated ARPA radar environments for low-visibility readiness.

• Puzzle (PUZ) – Visually engaging quizzes to match lights, shapes, and test rule knowledge.

• Wack-a-Mole (WM) – Fast-paced reaction game for identifying visual and audio signals.

Recognising that stable internet connectivity may sometimes be limited on board some vessels, the application includes an offline mode. All content remains fully accessible without an active connection, with the user’s progress and scores seamlessly synchronized once back online.

COLREGs Challenge is available for iOS, Android, and Web via the App Store, Google Play, and desktop browsers.