Simulation visualization technology is an important constituent through which users directly interact with simulators. Simulator users have a needs for more fast, realistic and intuitive visualization. Though hardware-related performances such as computing power and visual equipment have been grown, the limits have existed in graphics rendering engines generally used in marine simulator up to now. This paper has focused on the review of graphic rendering engines available for simulation visualization. We had deduced system requirements for visualization of ship handling simulation, had surveyed graphic rendering engines as commercial and open source, and analyzed strengths and weakness of them. The feasibility study for simulation visualization of tug-barge transportation with an open source graphics rendering engine(OGRE3D) has been demonstrated.