Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) has partnered with the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) to establish a joint research center aimed at developing technologies expected to shape the future of the shipbuilding and maritime industries.
SHI said Thursday that it held an opening ceremony for the SHI-KAIST Advanced Maritime Research Center (AMRC) at KAIST’s main campus in Daejeon. The event was attended by Choi Sung-an, vice chairman and CEO of Samsung Heavy Industries, KAIST President Bae Choong-sik, and researchers and officials from both institutions.
The new center is designed to move beyond conventional project-based cooperation and establish a permanent platform for identifying and conducting joint research projects. SHI plans to combine its shipbuilding expertise and industrial know-how with KAIST’s capabilities in artificial intelligence, mechanical engineering, robotics and digital technologies.
The center will concentrate on four major research areas.
The first is autonomous navigation and intelligent maritime AI. Researchers will work on technologies that enable ships to recognize surrounding conditions, determine optimal routes and avoid collisions. AI algorithms for advanced autonomous navigation systems and digital bridge technologies will also be developed.
The second area involves propulsion systems using low- and zero-carbon fuels. Research will focus on key equipment and fuel supply technologies for vessels powered by ammonia, hydrogen and other alternative fuels as the global shipping industry accelerates efforts to reduce carbon emissions.
The third research track will focus on smart shipyards and digital manufacturing. The two institutions will explore the use of AI and digital twins to transform shipbuilding processes, including block assembly and production management, with the aim of improving manufacturing efficiency and predictability.
The fourth area is shipbuilding-specific robotics. The research will target robotic technologies for welding, painting and inspection, areas that remain highly dependent on manual labor in shipyards because of the size and complexity of vessels.
Industry observers say the research center reflects a broader shift in the competitive landscape of global shipbuilding, where technological capabilities are becoming increasingly important alongside traditional strengths such as construction capacity and cost competitiveness.
In particular, the emergence of so-called physical AI, which allows artificial intelligence to interact with and control physical equipment in real-world manufacturing environments, could accelerate automation across shipyards. Industry experts expect the application of AI and robotics to potentially improve productivity and workplace safety while helping shipbuilders address labor shortages.
The development of alternative-fuel technologies is also expected to become increasingly important as international environmental regulations tighten. Securing technologies related to ammonia- and hydrogen-powered vessels at an early stage could give shipbuilders an advantage in future orders for environmentally friendly ships.
The partnership between Samsung Heavy Industries and KAIST dates back to 1995, when the company’s shipbuilding and marine research institute and KAIST’s Department of Mechanical Engineering established the SHI-KAIST Industry-Academia Cooperation Council.
Since then, the two sides have worked together through an advisory professor program, customized courses and joint research seed projects. More than 1,000 joint research projects and technical consulting cases have been conducted through the partnership, while exchanges have included short-term training programs for researchers and cooperative education programs for students.
Through the new research center, the two institutions also plan to support student research and scholarship programs, strengthening their efforts to cultivate talent for the next generation of the shipbuilding industry.
Bae Choong-sik, president of KAIST, said shipbuilding is one of the industries with significant potential to create new value through the convergence of mechanical engineering, AI and robotics as physical AI begins to reshape manufacturing.
Choi Sung-an, vice chairman and CEO of Samsung Heavy Industries, said the establishment of the center represents a significant milestone in the company’s 32-year partnership with KAIST.
“We will further accelerate efforts to secure technological competitiveness and cultivate talent in autonomous navigation, environmentally friendly vessels and smart manufacturing,” Choi said.
