KR and HD Hyundai Samho mark completion of AI-powered design and analysis project

Korean Register (KR) and HD Hyundai Samho held a project completion signing ceremony at Posidonia 2026 in Athens, Greece on June 3, marking the conclusion of their joint project on 'AI-Based Solution Development for Design and Analysis Innovation'.

Carried out over one year, under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in June 2025, the project focused on introducing AI technology to shipbuilding operations to establish a more efficient and precise framework for ship design and analysis.

The joint research centered on two core workstreams: an AI-powered optimization and structural assessment solution for hull support arrangement, and a generative AI service specialized for the shipbuilding design documents.

Conventionally, determining the number and position of hull supports required repeated structural analysis. The project has yielded an AI model capable of performing this process in near real time, enabling users to rapidly evaluate multiple arrangements and identify the optimal support configuration.

In addition, a domain-specific Large Language Model (LLM) service based on generative AI was developed to support the efficient management and retrieval of complex shipyard design documents.

Built in an on-premise environment to meet shipyard security requirements, it systematizes tacit knowledge and accumulated expertise, giving a wider range of personnel access to specialist-level insights; ultimately driving greater operational efficiency and productivity.

With the project now complete, both parties plan to accelerate the adoption of AI technology across design and analysis workflows, with a view to expanding its application to a broader range of operational areas.

Hakmu Shim, Executive Vice President of HD Hyundai Samho, commented: "This project has demonstrated the real potential of AI to transform how we approach design and analysis at the shipyard. We will continue to broaden the application of AI in practice, with a focus on enhancing design productivity, strengthening engineering capabilities, and advancing our digital transformation."

Daeheon Kim, Executive Vice President of KR, stated: "This project marks an important step toward modernizing the traditionally labor-intensive processes of shipyard design and analysis through cutting-edge AI. KR will continue to develop and deliver customized AI solutions that create tangible value for our clients."