▶ HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering signs definitive agreement with Siemens to implement next-generation marine platform and establish a 3D single-data platform ▶ Aims to build an autonomous manufacturing system that digitally connects the entire shipbuilding process, including design, production, logistics, inspection and sea trials ▶“By building a smart shipyard of the future powered by AI and digital technologies, we will set a new standard for the shipbuilding industry” HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, the intermediary holding company for HD Hyundai’s shipbuilding business, shared on Thursday, July 23, that it has signed a definitive agreement with Siemens Digital Industries Software, a global engineering software company, to implement a next-generation marine platform. The agreement marks a key step in the company’s’ efforts to develop an AI-powered shipyard of the future and drive the transformation of the shipbuilding industry. The signing ceremony, held in Washington, D.C., was attended by executives and representatives from both companies, including President & CEO of HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, Kim Hyung-kwan, and President & CEO of Siemens Digital Industries Software, Tony Hemmelgarn. The next-generation marine platform is centered on integrating the entire shipbuilding process—from vessel design and production to supply chain management, quality control and maintenance—into a single 3D-model-based data environment powered by AI and digital technologies, enabling the use of consistent information across every stage of the process. Through the platform, shipyards will be able to transmit design changes and real-time production status updates directly to the production floor and supply chain, enabling informed decision-making to help prevent schedule delays and quality issues. To support this effort, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering plans to develop a Virtual Shipyard that mirrors actual shipyard operations, enabling the simulation of production processes and equipment operations in a digital environment. As learning and analytical capabilities are essential to realizing a future Physical AI shipyard, where robots and autonomous production systems perform tasks independently, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering plans to further enhance the next-generation marine platform. Ultimately, the company aims to establish an autonomous manufacturing system that digitally connects every stage of ship construction, from design and production to logistics, inspection and sea trials. “As a leader in industrial AI, automation and digital twin software, Siemens is uniquely positioned to help transform how shipyards design, build and sustain the next generation of vessels,” said Tony Hemmelgarn, President and CEO of Siemens Digital Industries Software. “This strategic collaboration is about more than technology deployment, it’s about establishing a repeatable blueprint for modern shipbuilding. By combining Siemens’ digital capabilities with HD Hyundai’s operational excellence, we can help shipbuilders improve throughput, quality, and workforce productivity while strengthening global shipbuilding competitiveness.” "AI is not merely a tool for improving productivity, but a transformative technology that is reshaping how ships are designed, built and operated,” said H.K. Kim, President & CEO of HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering. “By integrating AI, digital twin and automation technologies into a connected digital shipyard environment, we aim to establish a future-ready model for the shipbuilding industry. Together with Siemens, we look forward to helping accelerate the digital transformation of shipyards worldwide, while contributing to the modernization and competitiveness of the U.S. shipbuilding industry."   

▶ Low-temperature curing technology reduces carbon emissions by 53%, equivalent to the environmental benefits of planting 100,000 pine trees each year. ▶ VOC emissions drop by 69%, enabling a proactive response to tightening global environmental standards. ▶ “We will continue to invest in low-carbon technologies to achieve our 2050 carbon neutrality goal.” HD Hyundai XiteSolution, the intermediate holding company for HD Hyundai’s construction equipment business, has successfully developed a new coating that dramatically reduces carbon emissions generated during the painting process. On Thursday, July 23, HD Hyundai XiteSolution announced the development of a low-temperature curing paint designed for construction machinery like excavators and wheel loaders. The new formulation cuts painting-related carbon emissions by approximately 53%. Developed after a year of research at the HD Hyundai XiteSolution Technology Institute, the new paint delivers an environmental benefit equivalent to planting roughly 104,000 pine trees per year. Conventional coatings require a high-temperature range of 80°C to 100°C to cure. In contrast, this newly developed formulation cures at just 50°C to 60°C, significantly reducing the thermal energy required for the drying stage. The company achieved this breakthrough by upgrading the coating chemistry from standard acrylic polyurethane to a fast-curing polyaspartic system. HD Hyundai XiteSolution is currently testing the new paint on its production lines and plans to roll it out across its major Korean manufacturing facilities, including its Ulsan, Incheon, and Gunsan plants. Once fully implemented, the paint is expected to reduce liquefied natural gas (LNG) consumption—used to heat the drying ovens—by 320,000 m³, cutting annual carbon emissions by 689 metric tons. Additionally, the new formulation releases 69% fewer volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during drying compared to legacy coatings. This reduction allows the company to proactively meet increasingly stringent air quality regulations. Beyond this new coating, the company has deployed low-VOC specialized paints across HD Construction Equipment’s facilities in China and electrified equipment production lines in Korea. Furthermore, the company is actively curbing greenhouse gases by transitioning its global manufacturing operations to renewable energy. "Developing this new coating is a milestone achievement that allows us to decarbonize right from the heavy equipment manufacturing stage," said an HD Hyundai XiteSolution official. "Applying this to actual mass production will be an industry first. We will continue to improve plant energy efficiency and curb emissions to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050."

▶ 'KOREA-ITER Fusion Day' held in France on the 22nd to celebrate completion of sector module assembly ▶ HD Hyundai Heavy Industries proves mega-scale, high-precision manufacturing capabilities by producing 4 out of 9 vacuum vessel sectors ▶ "As we take part in this major milestone for the world's largest fusion project, we will continue to strengthen our technological competitiveness in future energy" HD Hyundai Heavy Industries announced on Wednesday, July 22 (local time), that it attended the 'KOREA-ITER Fusion Day' at the ITER construction site in Cadarache, southern France. This marks a major step toward the realization of future fusion energy as assembly of the final vacuum vessel sector module for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER)— an international nuclear fusion research project, in which HD Hyundai Heavy Industries participated—has been successfully completed. Around 150 participants—including representatives from South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT, domestic companies, research institutes, and the ITER Organization—attended the event to share the progress of ITER construction, highlight Korea's major procurement achievements, and discuss strategies for international cooperation in the field of nuclear fusion. The event was organized to celebrate the assembly of the final ITER vacuum vessel sector—manufactured by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries—into a complete sector module combined with thermal shields and superconducting magnets. This sector module has now been moved to the Tokamak pit, where it will join eight other sector modules to form a donut-shaped vacuum vessel weighing approximately 5,000 tons. ITER is a major international initiative to construct the world’s largest fusion experiment reactor in Cadarache, France, jointly pursued by seven participating members: South Korea, the European Union (EU), the United States, Japan, China, Russia, and India. HD Hyundai Heavy Industries manufactured four out of the total nine vacuum vessel sectors that comprise ITER. After winning the contract for two sectors allocated to South Korea in 2010, the company secured an additional order in 2016 for two sectors originally assigned to the EU, successfully delivering all four sectors by 2024. The vacuum vessel is a core component of ITER that encapsulates plasma exceeding 100 million degrees Celsius while maintaining an ultra-high vacuum environment. Although each vacuum vessel sector is an ultra-large structure measuring 11.3 meters in height, 6.6 meters in width, and weighing approximately 400 tons, it demands an extraordinarily high level of manufacturing precision to ensure seamless assembly with the other sectors. Furthermore, the manufacturing process must satisfy stringent quality and safety standards, including French regulations on nuclear pressure equipment, international nuclear engineering standards, and the rigorous requirements of the ITER Organization. HD Hyundai Heavy Industries successfully produced the vacuum vessel sectors by leveraging its accumulated expertise in shipbuilding and offshore plant construction, along with its capabilities in mega-structure manufacturing and quality management. In recognition of its contributions, the company was awarded a plaque of appreciation during the event. Speaking at the event as a representative of participating companies, Won Kwang-shik, Senior Executive Vice President of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, stated, "The successful fabrication and installation of the ITER vacuum vessel sectors represent a major milestone that demonstrates both the technological competitiveness of Korean industry and the fruitful results of international cooperation. Building on our accumulated technological experience, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries will continue to contribute to realizing sustainable energy for future generations." Meanwhile, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has also played an active role in establishing South Korea's domestic fusion research infrastructure. The company participated in the main structure design of the KSTAR (Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research) project, completed in 2007, and manufactured its core components, including the large ultra-high vacuum vessel and cryostat. ■ Thermal Shield & Superconducting Magnet: -   The thermal shield prevents heat from the vacuum vessel from transferring to the superconducting magnets operating at cryogenic temperatures. -   The superconducting magnet creates a powerful magnetic field to confine the ultra-high temperature plasma. ■ Tokamak: A donut-shaped structure that uses a magnetic field to confine plasma required for nuclear fusion reactions. ■ Tokamak Pit: The central space inside the Tokamak building where major fusion components—including the vacuum vessel and superconducting magnets—are ultimately assembled and installed.