Many nations around the world are looking to either enter or resuscitate the shipyard sector, something South Korea’s largest shipbuilder is eyeing as a separate business avenue – selling not ships, but the knowledge of how to build them. HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, the holding company of HD Hyundai, will add “development and supply of digital engineering and manufacturing platforms” to its business purposes at a shareholders’ meeting on March 31, marking a formal pivot toward exporting its accumulated shipbuilding expertise as a packaged commercial product. It already essentially offers the service via many joint ventures established across the world. The new plan is built around two axes. First, the company will offer comprehensive shipyard construction solutions covering everything from factory layout design to production processes and operational systems. Second, it will supply the digital infrastructure to run those facilities as smart factories – including AI-powered 3D ship design systems, real-time process monitoring, welding robot deployment and ship lifecycle management platforms spanning design, construction and maintenance. HD Hyundai described the move as “productizing the company’s technological resources and know-how in the form of a platform,” adding that it expects to transition “from a traditional manufacturing-centric structure to a digital foundation.” The company also flagged plans to establish patent protections for technology-sensitive elements. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1_95_0_1_2'); }); TagsSouth Korea