Splash247: Splashtech: MacGregor rolls out lashing upgrade for ships over 5,000 teu

Cargo handling specialist MacGregor has introduced a new lashing setup for container ships that aims to tackle a long-standing issue in boxship operations: uneven load distribution across lashing gear.

The company’s Balanced Lashing System uses elastic elements to spread loads more evenly throughout the lashing arrangement. On many conventional container vessels, upper lashings carry most of the stress while lower ones run at roughly half their safe working load.

MacGregor says the new system evens out those forces, allowing operators to make better use of the full lashing capacity while reducing peak loads on individual components.

According to the company, this could translate into higher allowable stack weights, potentially enabling up to 10% more cargo to be carried on deck.

The elastic components also act as shock absorbers, helping to smooth the vertical forces generated when ships roll in heavy seas — a factor that can lead to container corner damage or lashing failures.

“Our Balanced Lashing System answers the question of whether to prioritise safety or capacity by delivering both,” said Magnus Sjöberg, executive vice president at MacGregor.

The system has undergone two years of onboard testing with industry partners and is already in commercial use. MacGregor said it has secured orders for more than 100 newbuild vessels.

Another selling point is the ease of installation on existing ships. The upgrade does not require hot work, with operators only needing to replace the upper turnbuckle in the lashing setup.

The system is available for container ships larger than 5,000 teu fitted with external lashing arrangements.

It has received approvals from DNV and American Bureau of Shipping, while approval from Lloyd’s Register is currently under way.