Korean Register (KR) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME), agreeing to work together on increased digitalisation and the development smart and autonomous ship technology, the key aspects of which include the development of a smart ship service to improve the safety and efficiency of ship navigation, development of Digital Data Exchange technology, development and verification/certification of autonomous navigation technology, joint development of crew training contents, and digital technology for smart yard implementation which will include smart sea trial operations and digital RT.
With ‘digital and eco-friendly’ as a future keyword, KR recently launched its big data based Integrated Survey Centre (KR-ISC) as the latest step in its ambition to be a ‘leading digital classification society’. The development of, necessity and demand for smart technology is a crucial global issue regardless of industry boundaries. In line with this trend, the shipbuilding industry is said to be accelerating the construction of smart yards and securing core technologies for the autonomous and safe operation of ships.
DSME will lead the development of smart ship and autonomous operation technologies using research from its own smart ship platform (DS4). By utilising the digital production centre currently operating in the Okpo Shipyard, the company plans to speed up the implementation of smart yards by strengthening workplace safety and increasing operational efficiency.
KR Chairman and CEO Lee Hyungchul said: “To improve the safety and efficiency of ships in a rapidly changing digital environment, we will jointly develop smart services using technologies of the fourth industrial revolution, sharing data between shipyards and classification societies in real time. Through our cooperation and the convergence of technologies, we will improve the productivity and efficiency of business processes while actively responding to environmental regulations. With the collaboration with DSME, we will continue to provide KR’s technology and support to solidify the development of autonomous ship technology and certification of the classification society.”
Park DuSeon, DSME President and CEO, said: “DSME is committed to its research activities and focused on developing future-oriented smart ship and smart yard technologies. The commercialisation of our digital transformation strategy is a key aspect of our competitiveness. Our continuous R&D underpins our technical competitiveness, enabling us to pre-emptively prepare for the autonomous ship market and implement smart workplaces at the same time.”
