HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering constructs world’s first ship with ‘AI Engineer’
HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, a core subsidiary of HD Hyundai, has delivered the world’s first ship equipped with an “AI engineer.” Recently, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering announced that it delivered a 180,000-ton Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) powered bulk carrier equipped with an AI-based automation solution to H-LINE Shipping. The ship was constructed at Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries in Yeongam, South Jeolla Province, according to BusinessKorea.
The engine automation solution co-developed and installed by HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering and H-LINE Shipping comprises the Integrated Condition Monitoring Solution (HiCBM) and the Integrated Safety Control Solution (HiCAMS). Both solutions diagnose the real-time condition of key ship equipment and intelligently detect emergencies, such as fires. They function as AI crew members, replacing human engineers and deck crew during operations.
HiCBM monitors and manages core ship devices such as propulsion engines, compressors, and pumps in real-time. The AI can detect and prevent potential malfunctions during navigation, ensuring smooth sailing. HiCAMS, using onboard CCTV, allows the AI to detect and analyze safety-related events in real time, playing a vital role in ensuring the safety of the ship and its crew.
Both systems can be applied to ships currently in operation, suggesting a potential expansion of the AI-based automation solution market.
During the trial run, the systems’ safety and reliability were verified under the supervision of the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS). Last September, they achieved Basic Certification (AIP) from ABS.
Last June, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering’s affiliate, Avikus, became the first in the world to successfully cross the ocean with a large ship equipped with an autonomous navigation system. With the commercialization of this automation solution, the maritime industry is one step closer to the era of “unmanned ships” where long-duration voyages can be undertaken without navigators, engineers, or deck crew.
