SK Shipping, HD Hyundai Group and Lloyd’s Register have agreed to develop a certifiable design concept for next-generation autonomous ships, with the project announced at Posidonia 2026.
The collaboration includes HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, HD Hyundai Marine Solution and Avikus. The partners are not targeting fully crewless ships. Their focus is on transitional vessel designs that apply higher levels of automation while reducing crew workload and onboard manning needs.
The project will address four areas: unmanned bridge operations, digitally enabled machinery maintenance, automated deck handling and system integration across the vessel. The aim is to connect navigation, machinery, maintenance and deck functions into a ship concept that can be assessed for future class and regulatory approval.
Lloyd’s Register said the work is intended to support a class-ready vessel concept under emerging rules, including the International Maritime Organization’s developing Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships Code.
For shipowners, the project is linked to newbuilding planning. Vessels ordered today will remain in service for decades, so automation requirements may affect future upgrade costs, approval processes and fleet capability.
Sung Gu Park, President, North East Asia at Lloyd’s Register, said clients increasingly need trusted guidance as automation, digitalisation and regulation become more complex. He said the collaboration is intended to define designs that are innovative, buildable, certifiable and ready for operation.
For SK Shipping, the priority is operational use. Harold Son, Head of Technology Innovation Office at SK Shipping, said the company aims to integrate technologies that improve efficiency and safety for vessels and crews. He described the collaboration as a practical approach to autonomy, with a focus on optimising onboard operations and reducing crew workload.
HD Hyundai will contribute shipbuilding, marine solutions and autonomous technology through the group’s participating companies. Sangsik Yoon, Senior Vice President at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, said the partnership combines automation, system architecture, operating experience and regulatory expertise to support smart ships that remain safe and commercially viable.
The project shows how autonomy is moving into vessel design, class approval and fleet planning. The next step for the sector is to make these systems practical enough to build, certify and operate.
