South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries has developed a new system for loading and securing containers that it claims is faster and safer and could dramatically change the future of container shipping.
The American Bureau of Shipping and the Liberian Flag administration have approved the shipyard’s design for its new concept for the lashing-free transport of containers.
Maritime Executive reports that the challenge of container safety and reducing the loss of boxes overboard gained industry attention in 2022 after several high-profile, large losses of containers. According to the World Shipping Council’s calculations, there are currently 6 300 ships moving cargo around the globe, equating to approximately 241 million containers moved annually. The ONE Apus and Maersk Essen accidents late in 2020 raised the average box loss to 3 113 in 20/21, way above the previous average of just under 800 boxes annually.
However, when it comes to loading and offloading containers, there is no accurate data on how many dockworkers or crew members are injured annually, handling and lashing containers in ports globally.
“The lashing-free containership is a new concept technology that can fundamentally eliminate lashing-related work, which is a major challenge in the containership industry, and cargo loss,” Wonho Joo, head of Hyundai Heavy Industries’ technical division said.
It uses a new device called a “portable bench” (tradename SkyBenchV2) that receives the load of the containers as they are stacked on deck and transfers it to the hull. The Cell Guide, a piece of equipment that allows the vertical alignment and stacking of containers, usually ten or more boxes high, has been extended above the deck. As the container is loaded, it is fixed by the expanded cell guide so there is no need for the lashing of individual boxes.
According to Hyundai, the SkyBench structure secures the container on the deck in the cell guide in a more stable manner than the traditional method. The firm believes that the new system will prevent accidents, including the collapse or loss of containers in rough seas, and safety accidents that occur during lashing work.
“Lashing-free container technology is a groundbreaking technology that increases the safety and efficiency of container ship operation,” Darren Leskoski, CEO of ABS Far East Asia, said.
