Classification society Lloyd’s Register (LR) has awarded an Approval in Principle (AiP) to HD Hyundai Samho for a container ship design standard supporting NAV1 compliance, centred on a remote camera system designed to deliver a continuous 360-degree field of vision around a container ship.
Higher container stack heights can help to maximise cargo efficiency, but can also create blind spots and reduce visibility from the wheelhouse. This becomes a greater design challenge under navigation notations such as LR’s NAV1, which require an unobstructed 360-degree field of view from the bridge. In practice, these limitations can restrict the maximum container intake a vessel can carry.
“This collaboration strengthens our capability to integrate digital navigation technologies into future newbuilds,” said Hakmu Shim, Executive Vice President at HD Hyundai Samho.
“Developing the concept alongside classification requirements from the outset reduces technical risk and supports more efficient delivery of advanced vessel designs. Most importantly, it enables us to offer clients unparalleled container loading efficiency and stronger economic value.”
The new approach aims to extend visibility beyond the limits of the bridge and support safer navigation in congested waters and other restricted operating conditions, while also helping to maximise container loading. The concept combines system design, risk assessment, and configuration review to demonstrate how camera-based vision can be assessed against NAV1 requirements.
“The maritime industry is moving quickly towards more digital and connected operations. What owners and builders need now is clarity on how these systems will be assessed and approved,” said Sung-Gu Park, President – North East Asia at Lloyd’s Register.
“This work helps bridge that gap, turning new technology into something that can be applied with confidence.”
