HD Hyundai, Siemens partner to drive shipbuilding modernisation in US

Core Insights - HD Hyundai and Siemens have signed a memorandum of understanding to leverage digital technologies in US commercial shipbuilding, aiming to enhance design and production workflows while reducing costs and risks [1][4] Group 1: Collaboration Details - The partnership will focus on digital design workflows, automated block assembly, and data-driven production management to minimize manual iterations and achieve more predictable outcomes [2] - Since 2023, both companies have been working on a manufacturing innovation platform that integrates design and production data into a unified digital ecosystem, allowing for virtual simulations to decrease trial-and-error processes [2] Group 2: Workforce Development - The MoU includes the joint development of professional training programs to cultivate a workforce skilled in operating the digital toolchain, with HD Hyundai planning to send instructors to over 30 Siemens training centers in the US for hands-on training [3] - The company aims to enhance specialized curricula in engineering, digital design, and process automation through collaborations with universities like the University of Michigan and MIT [3] Group 3: Future Opportunities - The partners will explore additional business opportunities and broaden their cooperation to implement technological advancements across the shipbuilding sector, facilitating the smart transformation of US shipyards [4] - HD Hyundai's global strategy head emphasized that maximizing production efficiency through digital and automation technologies is crucial for revitalizing the US shipbuilding industry [4] Group 4: Strategic Initiatives - HD Hyundai highlighted that its accumulated shipbuilding technology, combined with Siemens' digital capabilities, will create new opportunities for the US shipbuilding industry [5] - The initiative is part of HD Hyundai's "Make American Shipbuilding Great Again" campaign, which includes existing partnerships with Huntington Ingalls Industries and Edison Chouest Offshore [5] Group 5: Recent Developments - In September 2023, the Korean Register awarded Approval in Principle (AiP) to HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and Donghwa Pneutec for their jointly developed LNG Boil-off Gas (BOG) Treatment System [6]