This year’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit was a success for Korean shipbuilders, with multiple partnerships signed to advance digitalized shipbuilding practices and expand their presence in APEC economies. One notable partnership was between HD Hyundai and Siemens, signed on the sidelines of the APEC CEO Summit. The two companies aim to enhance the competitiveness of the US shipbuilding industry by improving design quality, minimizing process risks, and reducing costs through digital transformation. They will combine HD Hyundai’s shipbuilding expertise with Siemens’ digital twin and business platform technologies to accelerate digital transformation and maximize efficiency.
The partnership will focus on digital advancement in shipbuilding, improving automation in block assembling, and optimizing production, quality, and procedure. HD Hyundai and Siemens will also utilize Siemens’ educational facilities across the US to train manpower for the industry, with HD Hyundai dispatching instructors to provide technical lessons. The partnership builds on HD Hyundai’s ongoing collaborations with the University of Michigan and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, jointly developing programs on engineering, digital planning, and automated procedure in connection to shipbuilding.
Another Korean shipbuilder, Hanwha Ocean, is making progress in expanding its market presence in the Philippines. The company met with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to discuss its proposal to support the Philippine navy’s submarine program, including the construction of a submarine base, establishment of a local maintenance, repair, and overhaul center, and training of Filipino naval operators. Hanwha Ocean also plans to deploy KSS-III Dosan Ahn Changho class submarines, equipped with modern sonar and combat systems, and lithium-ion batteries for longer underwater endurance. The partnership includes technology transfer and collaborations with local industries, aligning with the Philippine military’s third-phase modernization plan, worth 2 trillion pesos ($34 billion).
These partnerships demonstrate the growing presence of Korean shipbuilders in the global market, particularly in the US and the Philippines. The adoption of digitalized shipbuilding practices and the expansion of their presence in APEC economies are expected to enhance their competitiveness and contribute to the growth of the global shipbuilding industry. With the US shipbuilding industry revitalization and the Philippine navy’s submarine program, Korean shipbuilders are poised to play a significant role in shaping the future of the industry.