HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering CEO Kim Hyung-kwan, right, and Naver Cloud CEO Kim Yu-won pose after signing an agreement at Naver’s GAK Sejong data center in Sejong, South Korea, to develop physical AI technology for the shipbuilding industry. Photo courtesy of Naver Cloud
July 20 (Asia Today) — HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering and Naver Cloud will jointly develop cloud and artificial intelligence systems tailored to South Korea’s shipbuilding industry, the companies said Monday.
The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding on using physical AI to transform shipbuilding operations at Naver’s GAK Sejong data center in Sejong, about 75 miles south of Seoul.
HD Korea Shipbuilding CEO Kim Hyung-kwan and Naver Cloud CEO Kim Yu-won attended the signing ceremony with executives and employees from both companies.
The agreement covers the development of AI and cloud infrastructure designed for shipbuilding, data centers and integrated power systems.
The companies will also cooperate on software-defined vessels, AI-driven industrial transformation, physical AI, robotics and digital education.
They plan to build cloud infrastructure and AI factories designed for shipbuilding operations, accelerating digital transformation across vessel design, production and research and development.
A joint team will identify potential AI applications, test the technologies and train specialists.
The companies will also cooperate on power infrastructure for data centers. The project will use HD Hyundai’s environmentally friendly engine technologies, energy storage systems and hydrogen fuel cells to develop power supply systems for such facilities.
HD Korea Shipbuilding and Naver Cloud also plan to develop smart shipyards powered by physical AI.
They will combine vessel data platforms, software and robotics to develop and test AI models for shipbuilding operations.
The partnership will eventually expand into software-defined vessels, which can be controlled and operated through software after construction.
Kim Yu-won said building an AI foundation optimized for shipbuilding is increasingly important as the industry confronts a worldwide shift toward artificial intelligence.
“We will build a cloud environment tailored to the shipbuilding industry with HD Hyundai and create an innovative model that can eventually be expanded to other industries,” Kim said.
Kim Hyung-kwan said HD Hyundai has a database containing more than 200 million shipbuilding and offshore engineering records.
“We will combine Naver’s technology with our database to establish an AI ecosystem specialized for the shipbuilding industry,” he said.
Kim said the company aims to complete an intelligent, AI-powered smart shipyard and strengthen its position in the future vessel market.
— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI
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Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260720010006756
