Chung Ki-sun, chair of HD Hyundai, has highlighted Avikus, a company specializing in autonomous ship operations, as a next-generation growth engine, and the firm is accelerating expansion of its autonomous navigation business after winning a large order.
HD Hyundai said on the 15th that it signed a contract to supply the HiNAS Control autonomous navigation solution for large vessels at the Global R&D Center (GRC) in Pangyo, Gyeonggi Province, with HMM CEO Choi Won-hyuk, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering CEO Kim Hyung-kwan, and Avikus CEOs Kang Jae-ho and Lim Do-hyung in attendance.
Under the contract, Avikus will supply HiNAS Control to 40 ships operated by HMM. It is the largest single supply deal to date, and Avikus will have supplied and applied HiNAS Control to a total of more than 350 ships overall, including more than 100 large retrofitted ships.
Avikus' HiNAS Control is an autonomous navigation system that goes beyond recognizing the environment around a ship and determining routes to also performing control functions. Compared with existing systems focused on autonomous navigation assistance, it is characterized by an expanded control scope.
In particular, HiNAS Control can set an optimal route and sail without crew intervention to prevent accidents, and is also expected to reduce fuel costs by maintaining optimal speed, HD Hyundai said. The industry sees the use of autonomous navigation technology rising as a complementary alternative to crew shortages amid the trend of shrinking labor in shipping.
Avikus, HMM, and HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering also signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on AI-based autonomous navigation technology cooperation the same day. Under the agreement, Avikus will handle advancement and supply of autonomous navigation solutions, HMM will adopt and operate the solutions, and HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering will provide platform support and technology linkage from the technical perspective of ships. The three companies plan to advance autonomous navigation technology through cooperation and strengthen competitiveness in the global shipbuilding and shipping markets.
An HMM official said, "In the digital and eco-friendly shipping ecosystem, AI-based technology is a core technology to strengthen competitiveness," adding, "We will actively participate in cooperation to bolster global competitiveness."
An HD Hyundai official said, "Autonomous navigation technology will be a core technology that serves as a game-changer for the shipbuilding and shipping industries," adding, "We will combine the capabilities of the three companies to lead next-generation autonomous ship technology and seize the standard."