Lloyd’s Register (LR) has awarded Approval in Principle (AiP) to HD Hyundai Samho for a container ship design standard supporting NAV1 compliance.
The AiP, presented at Posidonia 2026, centres on a remote camera system designed to deliver a continuous 360-degree field of vision around a container ship.
As shipowners seek to maximise cargo efficiency, higher container stack heights can create blind spots and reduce visibility from the wheelhouse. This becomes a greater design challenge under advanced navigation notations such as LR’s NAV1, which require an unobstructed 360-degree field of view from the bridge. In practice, that can limit the maximum container intake a vessel can carry.
The 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. For yards, this offers a more structured pathway to certification. For operators, it signals how digital bridge systems could be deployed in practice without compromising safety or regulatory confidence.
By establishing a class-backed design framework, the project provides a clearer route to compliance, helping to reduce technical uncertainty and avoid redesign later in the approval process.
Sung-Gu Park, President – North East Asia, Lloyd’s Register, said: “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.
“This work helps bridge that gap, turning new technology into something that can be applied with confidence.”
Mr Hakmu Shim, Executive Vice President, HD Hyundai Samho, said: “This collaboration strengthens our capability to integrate digital navigation technologies into future newbuilds. 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.”
