HD KSOE builds world’s 1st ship featuring an ‘AI engineer’

South Korea’s shipbuilding major HD Korea Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (HD KSOE), the intermediate holding company for shipbuilding under HD Hyundai, has constructed and delivered the world’s first ship equipped with an ‘AI engineer’.

The company has delivered and installed an AI-based engine automation solution onboard H-Line Shipping’s colossal 180,000-ton LNG-powered bulk carrier.

The vessel was constructed by Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries in Yeongam, South Jeolla Province.

The AI engineer features two engine automation solutions that are the result of collaborative efforts of HD Korea Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering and H-Line Shipping and they include the Integrated Condition Diagnosis Solution (HiCBM) and Integrated Safety Control Solution (HiCAMS).

These intelligent systems operate in real time to diagnose the condition of critical ship equipment while also swiftly detecting emergencies, including fires. Essentially, they stand as AI sailors, capable of functioning in lieu of onboard engineers and deck crew during ship operations.

At its core, HiCBM stands as a real-time diagnostic and management system for essential ship equipment like propulsion and power generation engines, compressors, and pumps. By employing artificial intelligence, this solution proactively identifies signs of potential failure during navigation, thus ensuring operational stability and preventing malfunctions.

Complementary to HiCBM, HiCAMS acts as an AI-powered safety watchdog, promptly detecting and analyzing safety-related events via onboard closed-circuit television (CCTV). This system plays a pivotal role in upholding both ship and crew safety.

One significant aspect is the adaptability of these systems to existing ships, paving the way for the anticipated expansion of the market for AI-based engine automation solutions, the shipbuilder said.

The trial operations, conducted under the scrutiny of the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), affirmed the reliability and safety of these systems, culminating in their attainment of the approval in principle (AIP) from ABS in September of the previous year, HD Hyundai said.

HD Korea Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering achieved a milestone in automated navigation in June 2022 when Avikus, a subsidiary of HD Hyundai, carried out autonomous navigation of a large LNG carrier Prism Courage across the ocean, becoming the first company to do so.

Expressing his thoughts on the progress, Executive Director of HD Korea Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Kwon Byeong-hun said: “The inevitable advent of the autonomous shipping era driven by artificial intelligence and digital technology is upon us.”

“By being the pioneers in applying the jointly developed engine automation solution, we are poised to become a leading force being the world’s first shipping company to engine automation on our LNG-powered bulker vessels,” an H-Line Shipping representative said.

The company anticipates that the implementation of this technology in H-LINE Shipping’s fleet will bolster its competitive edge.