Busan's Challenge for the Arctic Route: Pukyong National University and Local Companies Launch AI Ship Technology Development

The race to develop technology for the "Arctic Route Era" has begun in Busan.

As competition to open up the Arctic shipping lanes intensifies, universities and companies in Busan are beginning to develop artificial intelligence (AI) technology to serve as the "brain" of polar navigation vessels. Their goal is to secure next-generation smart ship technology that will allow vessels to diagnose their own status and navigate safely, even amid the Arctic's extreme cold and communication blackouts.

On June 15, Pukyong National University (President Bae Sanghoon) announced that the research team led by Professor Kim Donghyun (Department of Mechanical, Naval and Air-Conditioning Engineering) had been selected for two projects under the "Regional Innovation Leading Company Fostering (R&D) Project," jointly supported by the Busan Metropolitan Government and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups. The team will carry out research and development projects totaling KRW 3.6 billion.

The Arctic Route is considered a key axis of the next-generation global logistics network, as it can significantly shorten the shipping distance compared to existing routes passing through the Suez Canal. However, there have been ongoing concerns that extreme conditions below minus 40 degrees Celsius, the risk of collision with drifting ice, and communication constraints impose limitations on the safe operation of vessels using existing technologies.

To address these issues, the research team will receive KRW 1.8 billion for each project, launching the development of AI-based predictive maintenance technology and next-generation navigation and positioning technology.

The first project is "Development and Demonstration of an On-Device AI-Based Hull and Shaft Predictive Maintenance and Active Control Platform for Ensuring the Safety of Polar Navigation Vessels." The aim is to develop technology that uses on-device AI to directly analyze data within the vessel in polar environments, where satellite communications are unreliable, enabling real-time diagnosis of hull and propulsion shaft conditions and self-detection and response to abnormal signs.

The second project is "Development of an Intelligent Gyro-Based Multi-Sensor Fusion Navigation and Positioning Stabilization Module for Polar Regions." The team will develop a system that integrates and analyzes various navigation data—such as Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), gyro, and radar—using AI to support accurate positioning and safe navigation even in the polar regions.

This research will not be limited to the laboratory; it will also involve real-world demonstrations using actual vessels. The research team plans to collect operational data—including engine revolutions per minute (RPM), torque, bearing vibration, cylinder combustion pressure, hull stress, wind speed and direction, and wave height—from various types of ships, such as LNG carriers, bulk carriers, and car carriers, to verify the technology.

In particular, the team aims to enhance the accuracy and reliability of the technology by utilizing real navigation data obtained from waters adjacent to the Arctic Route.

In addition to Professor Kim Donghyun, Professors Lee Junho, Seok Woochan, Lee Jihwan, and Lee Dongheon are participating in the research. Local companies—Lab O2One Co., Ltd., KDS Co., Ltd., CNET Co., Ltd., FiberPro Co., Ltd.—and the Korea Research Institute of Ship and Ocean Engineering are also participating to assist with technology development and performance verification.

Professor Kim Donghyun emphasized, "The Arctic Route represents more than just the opening of a new shipping lane—it has the potential to transform the entire global logistics system. We will work to secure core technologies for safe navigation in polar environments and help Busan grow into a key maritime logistics hub in the Arctic Route Era."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.