UNIST has secured a government-funded project to establish a testing and validation center for AI-based ship equipment and advanced components, marking a major step toward advancing Korea’s shipbuilding industry.

The project, supported by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE), was selected under a 2026 government initiative to strengthen infrastructure in the shipbuilding and offshore sector. With a total budget of KRW 38.2 billion, it will support the development and validation of AI-driven autonomous ship systems and advanced composite materials in response to tightening environmental regulations led by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), as well as evolving industry demands.

Scheduled for completion by 2030, the center will be located in the Ulsan Mipo National Industrial Complex. UNIST will oversee its construction and operation in collaboration with the Ulsan Metropolitan Government, with participation from Ulsan Technopark, the Korea Testing & Research Institute (KTR), and the Korea Research Institute of Ships and Ocean Engineering (KRISO).

Designed as an end-to-end validation platform, the facility will support the full development cycle—from design and prototyping to performance testing and certification readiness. In the advanced components domain, it will enable the validation of fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP)-based ship structures, exterior materials, and propulsion components under real-world operating conditions, including mechanical stress, corrosion, and cryogenic environments. The center will also incorporate AI- and digital twin-based manufacturing systems to enhance process optimization, quality control, and productivity.

For AI-based ship systems, the center will establish a hybrid validation environment combining simulation and field testing, supporting the evaluation of autonomous navigation algorithms, sensor modules, and control systems in terms of safety, reliability, and repeatability, and accelerating commercialization.

The center is expected to play a key role in supporting small and mid-sized shipbuilding suppliers by improving access to testing infrastructure and validation data, thereby strengthening industrial competitiveness and facilitating entry into global markets.

Professor Young-Bin Park of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at UNIST, who leads the project, said, “This initiative will help bridge the gap between technology development and commercialization, supporting the advancement of environmentally sustainable and intelligent shipbuilding."