HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has delivered a 13,000-TEU container vessel to CMA CGM equipped with a hybrid version of its lashing-free cargo securing system, the South Korean shipbuilder announced on 6 October.

The vessel, designed and built by HD Hyundai Samho with core lashing-free components independently developed and validated by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, removes the need for crew to manually lash on-deck containers using rods, turnbuckles and wire — historically one of the most labour-intensive and accident-prone jobs on a large containership.

What does the technology actually change on deck?

Conventional lashings require dockworkers and shipboard crew to climb onto stacks and secure each container with steel hardware before every voyage. HD Hyundai's system replaces most of that work with two engineering elements.

The first is geometry. The vessel's cell guides — vertical rails that keep stacked containers aligned in the cargo hold — extend above deck level. Standard hatch covers would obstruct that extension, so HD Hyundai developed a standardised "portable bench" that fits between the protruding cell guides.

Portable bench specifications:

• Footprint identical to a 40-foot container
• Liftable by standard ship-to-shore cranes
• Installed between extended cell guides
• Compatible with existing terminal handling systems

The second element is a twistlock rooting system that secures any containers stowed outside the cell guide area directly to the vessel's structure. According to HD Hyundai, the combined configuration allows the ship to carry more than 10% additional cargo weight on deck versus a conventional vessel of the same class, while keeping containers stable in heavy seas and strong winds.

How did the sea trials perform?

Trials conducted in September showed "significantly reduced" vibration during operation compared with conventional arrangements that depend on hatch covers and lashing bridges, HD Hyundai said. The builder is now developing a next-generation variant that will add weathertight features for harsher weather routes.

What are the commercial and safety consequences?

The system targets three pain points for liner operators: crew safety, slot economics and cargo integrity. Removing lashing work reduces exposure to falls and crush injuries, historically a leading source of claims in container terminal operations. The 10% deck-weight uplift feeds directly into slot revenue on each voyage, a meaningful margin lever on a 13,000-TEU hull where every additional tonne of payload moves the unit-cost curve. The reduced-vibration profile also lowers the risk of container stack collapse and the resulting cargo loss, marine pollution and insurance exposure.

For terminals, the portable bench's compatibility with 40-foot handling equipment means no quay-side retrofit is required, and HD Hyundai argues the design lays groundwork for unmanned ship-to-shore operations.

What does CMA CGM gain?

CMA CGM, the French liner ranked among the top three global containerlines by deployed capacity, has been one of the most aggressive orderbook investors in dual-fuel and efficiency-focused newbuilds. Adding a lashing-free hull gives the carrier a working platform to measure crew-cost savings, deck-loading uplift and terminal turnaround improvements against conventionally equipped sisterships.

Where does HD Hyundai take this next?

HD Hyundai intends to broaden the technology beyond mega-vessels. "We plan to expand the application of this new container transportation technology to small- and medium-sized vessels," said Hongryeul Ryu, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries. "By continuing to develop differentiated technologies that deliver tangible value to customers in areas such as safety, loading efficiency and automation, we aim to further strengthen our ability to secure new orders."

That pipeline push lands as South Korean yards compete with Chinese shipbuilders for carrier orderbooks and as liner operators allocate capex under the EU Emissions Trading System, IMO 2030 and 2050 fuel intensity rules, and tightening safety regulations from classification societies. With CMA CGM as the first commercial deployment, the near-term test for HD Hyundai is whether a second carrier signs up for a lashing-free newbuild within the next order cycle.