HD Hyundai adopts Siemens platform for digital shipyards

HD Hyundai has selected Siemens Xcelerator as the foundation for an integrated digital shipbuilding platform across its global shipyard network.

The project falls under HD Hyundai's "Future of Shipyard" programme, which the group aims to complete by 2030. The work focuses on creating a single data flow from ship design through production, with common processes across sites.

HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE), HD Hyundai's intermediary holding company, selected Siemens. The platform is intended to manage the end-to-end shipbuilding process through a unified data backbone and will be deployed across HD Hyundai's shipyard facilities.

Design to production

Shipbuilders often run separate systems for design and production, creating long-standing data gaps between the two stages. HD Hyundai says the new platform will close those gaps and provide a more structured digital environment for engineering and manufacturing teams.

"The selection of Siemens Xcelerator represents an important milestone in advancing HD KSOE's digital shipbuilding strategy," said Taejin Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of Digital Innovation Office at HD Hyundai.

Lee continues, "By establishing an integrated digital platform that ensures consistency from design through production, we aim to address long-standing data discontinuity challenges and create a more structured and collaborative shipbuilding environment. This initiative will strengthen our ability to execute increasingly complex projects while enhancing efficiency, quality and competitiveness across our global shipyard operations."

Siemens says it has been working with HD Hyundai on digital shipbuilding since 2022. It describes Xcelerator as an "open digital business platform" designed to connect systems and standardise how data is shared across functions.

"Since 2022, Siemens' collaboration with HD Hyundai has been focused on the future of shipbuilding and the development of next-generation digital design and production platforms," said Tony Hemmelgarn, President and CEO of Siemens Digital Industries Software.

"Siemens Xcelerator and our comprehensive digital twin technologies are well-positioned to support a unified digital thread across design, engineering and production. We look forward to helping HD Hyundai establish a scalable, open and future-ready manufacturing innovation platform that supports sustainable growth and operational excellence."

Platform scope

Under the plan, the "Integrated Platform for Ship Design-Production Consistency" will deliver a continuous digital thread of key information from design through production. Design and production systems will be connected in real time through a unified data backbone, aiming to reduce inefficiencies and errors caused by missing or inconsistent data.

The architecture spans several domains, including computer-aided design, product lifecycle management, digital manufacturing, automation and simulation. Together, these tools are intended to give engineering and production teams a shared view of the information needed for planning and execution.

The environment is also expected to support virtual reviews of shipyard activities before physical work begins. HD Hyundai says planning, construction, expansion and modification can be assessed virtually before implementation on site.

3D operations

HD Hyundai plans to expand the use of model-based engineering and improve cross-team collaboration. Block assembly data, welding information, and piping and electrical information will be managed within an integrated 3D model.

The approach is intended to improve design accuracy and production planning, while supporting standardised shop-floor operations across shipyards.

The platform is expected to support multiple vessel types, spanning commercial vessels and specialised ships. It will also cover equipment and component data management, digital model-based performance analysis, lifecycle-oriented maintenance engineering, and technical support frameworks linked to overseas shipbuilding projects.

Industrial metaverse

Alongside the core platform, HD Hyundai is developing a digital representation of ships and shipyard sites, which it describes as "industrial metaverse-based". The group also plans to apply "physical artificial intelligence (AI)" in complex production environments.

The announcement referenced reinforcement learning using synthetic data and a virtual learning environment based on Siemens Digital Twin technology. Siemens has also promoted Digital Twin Composer, which HD Hyundai says it will use to build an industrial metaverse-based environment for decision-making, collaboration and learning.

Implementation will be phased, with work expected to begin in 2026. Application to operational vessels is targeted from 2028.