Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) held the opening ceremony for the SHI-KAIST Next-Generation Ship Research Center (AMRC) at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) in Daejeon on Thursday.
The center aims to bolster competitiveness in future shipbuilding and marine technology through advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), energy, and digital transformation (DX).
The event was attended by Choi Sung-an, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Samsung Heavy Industries, Bae Chung-sik, President of KAIST, and representatives from both organizations.
At the new research center, SHI plans to collaborate with KAIST on joint research projects that merge traditional shipbuilding technologies with cutting-edge fields like AI, robotics, and eco-friendly solutions.
Key research areas include AI technology for autonomous and intelligent navigation, zero-carbon and low-carbon fuel propulsion systems, smart shipyard digital twins, and specialized robotics for shipbuilding and marine applications.
The Next-Generation Ship Research Center will expand beyond individual research projects, focusing on continuous discovery and execution of joint research initiatives. It will also support student research and scholarship programs through industry-academic cooperation funds.
The partnership between Samsung Heavy Industries and KAIST dates back to 1995 when SHI established the SHI-KAIST Industry-Academic Cooperation Council with KAIST’s Department of Mechanical Engineering.
This collaboration has yielded numerous achievements through advisory professor programs, tailored courses, and joint research seed projects. The advisory professor program alone has facilitated over 1,000 collaborations, including joint research projects and technical consultations.
President Bae stated that the shipbuilding and marine industry is ripe for innovation through the fusion of mechanical engineering, AI, and robotics. It hopes this research center will become a hub for solving industry challenges and setting new benchmarks in future technologies.
Vice Chairman Choi emphasized that they’re doubling down on the efforts to enhance technological competitiveness and cultivate talent in the future shipbuilding and marine industry, with a focus on autonomous navigation, eco-friendly vessels, and smart manufacturing.
In related news, Samsung Heavy Industries reported strong financial results for the second quarter of this year. The company posted revenues of 3.2307 trillion KRW (about 2.28 billion USD) and an operating profit of 325 billion KRW (about 229 million USD), representing year-over-year increases of 20.4% and 58.7%, respectively. Net profit for the period reached 222.8 billion KRW (about 157 million USD), up 4.9% from the previous year.