HD Hyundai moves forward with smart shipyard project

September 8, 2025, by Naida Hakirevic Prevljak

South Korean shipbuilding conglomerate HD Hyundai is accelerating the creation of an integrated platform for design and production integration to accomplish a smart shipyard, as it has selected preferred negotiating partners.

HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE), HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI), HD Hyundai Mipo, and HD Hyundai Samho recently selected global solution companies Siemens Industry Software and Aviva as the first preferred negotiating partners for the establishment of a ‘design and production integration platform’ and signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the development of the platform.

HD Hyundai is pursuing a project to establish a digital automated production system that integrates and manages the entire process from ship design to production, said to be “a first in the shipbuilding industry”. The plan is to achieve productivity innovation by integrating and managing core shipbuilding systems, including design 3D modeling (CAD), ship lifecycle management (PLM), and digital manufacturing (DM), on a single platform.

To this end, HD Hyundai selected Siemens and Aviva as the first priority negotiation partners after evaluating their technological prowess and feasibility. Siemens was recognized for its ability to organically integrate design and production data through its Teamcenter PLM solution and for its ability to extend proven technology from the machinery industry to the shipbuilding industry. AVEVA received positive reviews for its potential for a smooth transition to next-generation systems, building on the reliability of AVEVA Marine, already in use at HD Hyundai Shipbuilding affiliates.

HD Hyundai plans to conduct detailed pilot projects targeting both platforms, verifying all aspects of the design and demonstrating production-linked scenarios.

Based on these efforts, the company aims to finalize a single solution by the end of this year and begin full-scale platform development in 2026, with final implementation targeted for 2028. A Hyundai Heavy Industries official stated,

“The integrated design and production platform will become the core infrastructure of a smart shipyard,” an official from HHI said.

“Through collaboration with global technology companies, we will accelerate the digital transformation of the shipbuilding industry and secure future competitiveness.”

In related news, HD Hyundai Samho recently inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with class society American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) to collaborate on an artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled smart shipyard project.

As disclosed, the agreement sets up a cooperative framework for both parties to use smart technologies, like AI, automation and robotics, to explore areas for process improvement at the HD Hyundai Samho yard.

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