HD Hyundai said it has delivered the world's first "Lashing-Free" container ship, a vessel built so that workers no longer have to secure containers manually on board. The ship is a 13,000-TEU container vessel constructed for a French shipping company, and the hybrid-type Lashing-Free technology was partially applied to it.
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries developed and validated the main components of the technology on its own, while HD Hyundai Samho handled the detailed design and construction of the vessel that incorporates it, the company said.
The ship extends the cell guides that hold containers stacked inside the cargo hold up above the deck. Because conventional large hatch covers would obstruct guides extended that way, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries developed a portable bench built to the same dimensions as a 40-foot container, so it can be handled by the same port cranes used to load and unload containers. A Twistlock Rooting System fastens containers stowed outside the cell guide area to the vessel's structure.
HD Hyundai said the ship can carry more than 10% additional cargo weight on deck compared with conventional vessels of the same type, and that the system supports containers in rough seas and strong winds, which the company said helps prevent cargo loss, improve maritime safety and lower the risk of marine pollution. Sea trials in September showed less vibration during operation than conventional designs using hatch covers and lashing bridges, according to HD Hyundai, which is developing a next-generation version with weathertight features.
Hongryeul Ryu, senior executive vice president and chief technology officer at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, said the company plans to widen use of the technology to small- and medium-sized vessels and to keep developing technologies in areas including safety, loading efficiency and automation to strengthen its ability to win new orders. The technology was presented as a Korean example related to measures against container loss at sea at the 10th session of the International Maritime Organization's Sub-Committee on Carriage of Cargoes and Containers in 2024, and has secured intellectual property registrations in Korea and overseas, the company said. It was also named a recipient of this year's IR52 Jang Young-shil Award.
