HD Hyundai will automate shipyards with digital twins by 2030
The shipbuilder targets a 30% reduction in vessel construction time and a 30% gain in yard productivity to protect margins against retiring skilled labor and regional dockyard rivals.
HLBy Hyun-jung Lee, Korea correspondent, shipbuilding and defense··Updated October 21, 2026·3 min read
ShareLinkedInXWhatsAppEmailA shipyard worker examines a holographic digital twin of a vessel from a control room overlooking the yard. (AI-generated image)
HD Hyundai confirmed plans Oct. 21 to deploy digital twins across its shipyards by 2030, targeting automated operations to counter an accelerating shortage of skilled production labor.
The shipbuilder aims to reduce vessel construction time by 30% and lift yard productivity by 30%, according to conference remarks by Chief Digital Officer Lee Tae-jin.
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Korea correspondent, shipbuilding and defense — Hyun-jung Lee reports on Korean yards, order books and naval programs, and on the defense export contracts that increasingly sit alongside them.
