Recently, HD Hyundai, a South Korean shipbuilder, hosted over 600 leaders from the industry, government, and technology sectors at the APEC 2025 Future Tech Forum. The event aimed to present its approach to changing shipbuilding using artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and collaboration on a global scale.
The forum took place in late October, with the theme “Shaping the Future of Shipbuilding.” It included keynote speeches from HD Hyundai executives and partners like Huntington Ingalls Industries, Anduril Industries, Siemens, and the American Bureau of Shipping.
Chairman Chung Kisun kicked off the event, stating that artificial intelligence is transforming both maritime operations and manufacturing. He noted, “AI is revolutionizing both maritime sustainability and digital manufacturing,” and stressed that to tap fully into AI’s potential, industries need to work together more closely worldwide.
One highlight was the subsidiary Avikus, which showed off its progress in autonomous navigation. In 2022, it successfully completed a transpacific voyage with an LNG carrier using AI-driven navigation for real cargo, proving that this technology is now commercially viable.
HD Hyundai is also using AI in its shipbuilding processes. The company is building smart shipyards that utilize digital twin and robotics technologies to combat labor shortages while boosting productivity and safety.
A significant part of the forum discussed future naval capabilities. John Kim, head of Anduril Industries Korea, pointed out the defense sector's need for faster development cycles, something traditional procurement processes struggle to achieve. Engineers at Anduril test systems directly in the field, solving problems as they arise to substantially shorten development times.
This approach led to a partnership between Anduril and HD Hyundai aimed at creating unmanned surface vehicles. Kim Hyung-taek, HD Hyundai’s Research Director in AI & Unmanned Naval Systems, explained that their collaboration will merge HD Hyundai’s vessel autonomy technology, which is already in use on over 200 merchant vessels, with Anduril’s systems validated through military programs.
They expect that combining these technologies will result in an unmanned surface vehicle that could change traditional naval operations and become a significant factor in maritime defense.
Patrick Ryan, Chief Technology Officer of the American Bureau of Shipping, highlighted six essential digital technologies that are transforming the industry: AI, digital twins, smart shipyards, autonomous systems, remote inspection, and robotics.
ABS is working with HD Hyundai on an AI-based support system to manage the large amounts of information generated during ship design and rule verification. They are also developing digital twin technology that uses real-time data to predict how long vessels will last and maintain their structural integrity.
One of the most exciting announcements came from Nicolaus Radford, CEO of Persona AI, who shared updates on humanoid robots that HD Hyundai is developing for shipyard welding. These robots are being trained through motion capture of human welders, using thousands of simulations and reinforcement learning to help them learn how to keep balance and perform tasks independently.
The humanoid robots are set to be deployed at HD Hyundai shipyards by 2027, and the project is on track.
Eric D. Chewning, Executive Vice President of Huntington Ingalls Industries, the largest defense shipyard in the U.S., discussed plans to enhance cooperation with HD Hyundai in four main areas: increasing shipbuilding capability to meet U.S. Navy demands, jointly developing next-generation naval logistics ships, sharing R&D for design and engineering, and collaborating on lifecycle support for naval vessels in the Indo-Pacific region.
Chairman Chung emphasized the potential for cooperation between Korea and the U.S., stating, “With all these innovative capabilities, we are fully ready to be a facilitating partner in this American naval renaissance.”
The forum highlights the industry's shift towards utilizing advanced technologies and global partnerships to tackle increasingly complex maritime challenges, from decarbonization to defense modernization.