HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering Builds World's First Ship Equipped with 'AI Engineer'

H-LINE Shipping 180,000t LNG-Powered Bulk Carrier
Built by Yeongam Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries

A sea trial of the 180,000-ton LNG-powered bulk carrier built by Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries and delivered to H-LINE Shipping. Photo by HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering

HD Hyundai's intermediate shipholding company, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, has delivered the world's first vessel equipped with an 'AI engineer.'

HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering announced on the 24th that it recently delivered an 180,000-ton LNG-powered bulk carrier for H-LINE Shipping, equipped with an AI-based engine automation solution. The vessel was built at Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries in Yeongam, Jeollanam-do.

The engine automation solution, jointly developed and installed by HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering and H-LINE Shipping, consists of the integrated condition monitoring solution (HiCBM) and the integrated safety management solution (HiCAMS). These two solutions are intelligent systems that diagnose the status of key ship equipment in real time and automatically recognize emergencies and unexpected situations such as fires. They perform the role of AI crew members, replacing engineers and deck officers during ship operation.

HiCBM is a system that diagnoses and manages core ship equipment such as propulsion and power generation engines, compressors, and pumps in real time. Artificial intelligence detects and prevents signs of failure during navigation in advance, ensuring operational safety. HiCAMS uses onboard CCTV to detect and analyze safety-related events in real time through AI, playing a key role in maintaining the safety of the ship and crew.

Both systems can be applied to existing operating vessels, raising expectations for the expansion of the AI-based engine automation solution market. The two systems, applied for the first time in this case, were verified for safety and reliability under the supervision of the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) during the sea trial period. In September last year, they also obtained basic certification (AIP) from ABS.

In June last year, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering's affiliate, Abicus, successfully completed the world's first transoceanic voyage with an autonomous navigation system installed on a large vessel. With the commercialization of this engine automation solution, the company has taken a step closer to the world's first 'unmanned ship' era in the large vessel sector, capable of long-duration navigation without the assistance of navigators, engineers, or deck officers.

Byung-Hoon Kwon, Executive Director of HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, stated, "The advent of the autonomous ship era based on artificial intelligence and digital technology is inevitable. Using this engine automation solution as a stepping stone, we will lead the development and commercialization of autonomous ship technologies covering a comprehensive range beyond navigation automation."

A representative of H-LINE Shipping said, "By applying the engine automation solution jointly developed with HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering to H-LINE Shipping's LNG-powered bulk carrier for the first time in the world, we will play a leading role as a smart and eco-friendly shipping company. We will continue to proactively apply future technologies to strengthen our competitiveness."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.