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SEOUL, May 7 (Yonhap) -- The government will invest 30 billion won (US$20.7 million) in a project aimed at establishing an artificial intelligence (AI) data platform for autonomous vessels as part of its manufacturing transformation initiative, officials said Thursday.
Under the four-year project that will be jointly led by the industry and oceans ministries, the Korea Research Institute of Ships & Ocean Engineering (KRISO) will gather data on autonomous vessel systems, navigation, engines, remote control, maritime transport and others to create an AI data platform for ships, according to the officials.
The government has been pushing to develop autonomous vessels and AI models for such ships in a bid to secure a future growth engine for the local shipbuilding and shipping industries.
"Autonomous vessels are at the center of the shipping and shipbuilding industries' transition toward decarbonization and digitalization," an oceans ministry official said, vowing the government's continued support for development of related technologies.
"The future competitiveness of autonomous vessels developed by the Korean shipbuilding industry will ultimately be determined by the quality of data," an industry ministry official added.
The officials said 25 shipbuilding, shipping and AI companies, as well as research institutes, have submitted a letter of intent to participate in the project.
Officials at the industry and oceans ministries sign a cooperation agreement for the development of autonomous vessels during a manufacturing AI transformation strategy meeting held in Seoul on Dec. 29, 2025. (Yonhap)
nyway@yna.co.kr
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