HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and Robotics sign shipyard automation collaboration
The agreement links Hyundai’s robot manufacturer with operational shipyards for development and validation.
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and HD Hyundai Robotics signed a memorandum of understanding on 17 December 2025 to automate shipbuilding processes and develop smart factories. The collaboration forms part of the group’s Future of Shipyard programme.
The companies will jointly develop robotic solutions combining industrial arms, vision systems and AI-based automation for shipyard production lines. Proposed systems will be tested in operating environments and refined into standard process models. Heavy Industries provides shipbuilding processes and production expertise, while Hyundai Robotics contributes robot hardware and automation technology.
The partners aim to improve production stability, quality and lead times, with the resulting technology intended for gradual expansion across the group’s shipbuilding affiliates. The announcement establishes a joint development and validation programme; it does not specify a robot purchase quantity or completed deployment fleet.