ULSAN < invest Korea

According to Yonhap News,

(Ulsan = Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Geun-ju – Ulsan Metropolitan City announced that it will hold a kickoff report meeting for the 'Artificial Intelligence (AI) Vessel Specialized Platform and Application Development/Demonstration Project' on the 16th aboard the Ulsan Taehwa호 docked at Jangsaengpo Port.

This project is designed to strengthen the technological competitiveness of the shipbuilding industry and transition its traditional hardware-centric industrial structure into a high-value-added, future-oriented shipbuilding industry that integrates AI and software.

The city plans to invest a total of KRW 40.1 billion—comprising KRW 20.7 billion in national funds, KRW 10.3 billion in municipal funds, and KRW 9.1 billion in private capital—to pursue the project through 2029.

Key initiatives include: ▲ developing an AI vessel specialized platform and core software applications; ▲ establishing a development and verification framework through virtual environments and digital vessel implementation; and ▲ conducting real-world demonstrations and securing international certifications utilizing three actual vessels, including large Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) carriers and the electrically propelled vessel 'Taehwa호.'

In particular, based on HD Hyundai's standard platform, the city will also embark on constructing a 'Large-SME Coexistence Shipbuilding AI Shared-Growth Model' in which local small and medium-sized marine equipment enterprises participate.

The city expects that this project will serve as a momentum to secure the international competitiveness of domestic AI vessels ahead of the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) enforcement of autonomous ship standards mandatory by 2032.

A city official stated, "This kickoff meeting marks a significant starting point for domestic AI vessel technology to expand into the global market." The official added, "We will focus all our capabilities to ensure Ulsan leads the global maritime AI transformation market."

canto@yna.co.kr



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Source Text

Source: Yonhap News (June 16, 2026)

** This article was translated from Korean.