Hyundai Movex to Lead KRW 19 Billion Korea-US National Project on Autonomous Shipbuilding Transport

Project to Run for 42 Months, Validated Locally
Technology Partnership Signed with Local Institute
Joint Development with Samsung, HD, and Hanwha

Hyundai Movex has been selected as the leading research and development institution for the Korea-US shipbuilding cooperation project and will embark on developing advanced transport technologies.

Hyundai Movex has been selected as the leading organization for the 2026 National Project on Shipbuilding and Marine Industry Technology Development. On the 23rd, at the 'Korea-U.S. Shipbuilding Cooperation Center Opening Ceremony' held in Washington D.C., USA, Hyundai Movex signed a technology agreement with the U.S. Southwest Research Institute (SwRl). The fourth person from the left in the top row of the photo is Youngho Lee, Head of R&D at Hyundai Movex. Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy

On July 28, Hyundai Movex announced that it has been designated as the lead institution for the shipbuilding and marine industry technology development project hosted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea Evaluation Institute of Industrial Technology (KEIT).

This project is titled “Development and Demonstration of Core Technologies for Intelligent Autonomous Transporters for Super-Large Block Handling to Transform the Smart Ship Manufacturing Paradigm.” The main objective is to develop autonomous driving technology for safely and efficiently transporting large blocks for ship assembly at shipyards, and to validate this technology at a local shipyard in the United States. The project will span 42 months, with total government funding of KRW 19 billion.

Hyundai Movex will be responsible for developing ultra-heavy autonomous transport robots, integrated control and virtual driving verification, AI-based block transport safety simulation, and scenario development to support overseas demonstrations. The project involves joint participation from a total of eight institutions as research and development partners, including major domestic shipbuilders such as Samsung Heavy Industries, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, and Hanwha Ocean.

Global technology cooperation will also proceed in parallel. On July 23, Hyundai Movex attended the opening ceremony of the Korea-US Shipbuilding Cooperation Center in Washington D.C., USA, and signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for technology collaboration with the American research institution, Southwest Research Institute (SwRI). During the on-site technology exchange meeting, R&D plans for autonomous transport technologies in ship manufacturing processes were presented. Established in 1947, SwRI is a nonprofit R&D institution engaged in advanced technology research for the U.S. Department of Defense and NASA, among others.

Previously, in 2024, Hyundai Movex was also selected as the lead company for the development of an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) platform capable of transporting loads over 10 tons through a Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy competition project. As this initiative aims for completion in 2027, it is expected to create synergy with the current shipbuilding process transport technology development.

A Hyundai Movex representative stated, “It is an honor to participate in such a significant Korea-US shipbuilding cooperation project, and we will ensure the research and development progresses without delay.” The spokesperson added, “This project will further advance AI and robotics-based autonomous transport technologies, serving as a crucial opportunity to continuously expand our presence in the global market.” Hyundai Movex is a total smart logistics solutions company engaged in logistics automation, platform screen doors, and IT services, and is a core affiliate of Hyundai Group, led by Chairwoman Hyun Jeong-eun, along with Hyundai Elevator.

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