HD Hyundai Vice Chairman Chung Kisun outlines the company's plans to revolutionize shipbuilding with AI, digital twins, and automation through key partnerships with Palantir and Siemens.
 |
| HD Hyundai's Executive Vice Chairman Chung Kisun drives the future of shipbuilding with AI and digital tech, through a strategic partnership with Palantir and Siemens. Image: HD Hyundai |
Seoul, South Korea — February 28, 2025:
HD Hyundai’s Executive Vice Chairman Chung Kisun is setting the course for a new era in shipbuilding with cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), digital twins, and automation. The company aims to redefine shipyard operations by minimizing human intervention while boosting productivity and safety.
Chung highlighted the critical role of global tech partnerships in the company's digital transformation, specifically with Palantir and Siemens. Palantir’s big data software platform, Foundry, is a key component of the transformation, providing AI-driven decision-making capabilities. As part of their collaboration, a new promotional video was released on February 26, 2025, showcasing the partnership and highlighting its role in the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2025 in Davos, Switzerland.
"For decades, HD Hyundai has been a leader in shipbuilding innovation," said Chung in the video. "Now, with Palantir and Siemens, we are transforming our shipyards using the latest AI and digital twin technology, unlocking higher levels of productivity, efficiency, and safety."
The video also presented HD Hyundai’s ambitious "Future of Shipyard" (FOS) project. Launched in 2021, FOS integrates various digital technologies, such as data analytics, virtual and augmented reality, robotics, and automation, to create the shipyard of the future. The project is being implemented in three phases, with a planned completion date of 2030. The initial "Visible Shipyard" phase has been completed, while the ongoing "Connected and Predictively Optimized Shipyard" phase is designed to streamline operations. The final phase, "Intelligent Autonomous Operating Shipyard," aims to eliminate most human intervention in the process.
By the end of the project, HD Hyundai expects to increase productivity by 30% while reducing shipbuilding time by a similar margin. With AI becoming increasingly pivotal in shipbuilding, HD Hyundai continues to strengthen its partnerships with technology leaders to stay ahead of the curve in the digital age.
In March 2024, HD Hyundai's Digital Shipyard and LNG Carrier were featured in a groundbreaking real-time demo at NVIDIA’s GTC 2024, showcasing the company’s use of advanced graphics technology. Additionally, HD Hyundai’s collaboration with Siemens to create a digital twin of their shipyards, utilizing NVIDIA’s technology, was highlighted as a key example of digital innovation.
Chung Kisun has consistently emphasized the importance of digital transformation to drive progress in marine mobility. "Our focus is on electrification, autonomous operation, and eco-friendly technologies, while fostering a sustainable energy ecosystem," he stated. "We’re investing heavily in renewable resource utilization and green technologies for the future."
As part of its long-term strategy, HD Hyundai also expanded its R&D efforts with the establishment of the Global R&D Center in 2022. The company has furthered its international presence with the opening of the European R&D Center in Germany and the India Technology Center in Pune. Through these centers, HD Hyundai continues to collaborate with global research institutions to accelerate next-generation technology development.
As HD Hyundai continues to lead the way in shipbuilding’s digital revolution, its focus on innovation and global partnerships solidifies the company’s position at the forefront of the industry for years to come.