Siemens Digital Industries Software announced today that is has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with HD Hyundai to drive the revitalization and modernization of the commercial shipbuilding industry in the United States of America.
This collaboration positions Siemens Xcelerator as the digital backbone for the revitalization of the shipbuilding industry in the United States, leveraging its industry-leading digital twin, model-based systems engineering (MBSE) and product lifecycle management (PLM) technologies to transform shipyard operations and vessel production across the U.S.
As a global leader in shipbuilding, HD Hyundai - which includes HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, HD Hyundai Samho and HD Hyundai Mipo - brings deep expertise in advanced engineering and shipyard automation.
Image courtesy of HD Hyundai
"This agreement brings together global shipbuilding excellence and Siemens’ proven digital transformation technologies to help U.S. shipyards build smarter, faster and be more resilient,” said Robert Jones, chief revenue officer, Siemens Digital Industries Software. “By combining our digital backbone with HD Hyundai’s advanced engineering, we are enabling the revitalization of American shipbuilding and supporting the creation of a sustainable, future-ready workforce."
“Maximizing production efficiency through digital and automation technologies is key to the reconstruction of the U.S. shipbuilding industry,” said Sangmin Moon, Executive Vice President - Global Strategy Division, HD Hyundai. “HD Hyundai's accumulated shipbuilding technology and Siemens’ digital capabilities will contribute to creating new opportunities for the U.S. shipbuilding industry."
Joe Bohman, vice president of PLM products at Siemens Digital Industries Software, and Sangmin Moon, head of global strategy at HD Hyundai, pose for a commemorative photo after signing a strategic memorandum of understanding (MoU) to modernize the U.S. shipbuilding industry and strengthen its technological competitiveness (Image courtesy of HD Hyundai)
The agreement also reflects a strategic collaboration to strengthen U.S. maritime competitiveness and expand future cooperative opportunities. HD Hyundai and Siemens will actively cooperate to promote the Siemens Xcelerator platform across its U.S. business partners, while both parties explore opportunities to expand digital shipyard transformation in overseas markets. In alignment with U.S. maritime policy goals, Siemens and HD Hyundai will jointly support workforce development, cybersecurity, and industrial base resilience, helping to ensure the next generation of shipbuilders is equipped for a digital future.
More specifically, under the terms of MoU, the two companies will:
- Collaborate to restore engineering capabilities and rebuild a sustainable talent base in the U.S. shipbuilding sector through workforce development and training programs
- Jointly promote the digital transformation and automation of U.S. shipyards, validating digital workflows and platform configurations through pilot projects
- Explore investment and technology development opportunities to strengthen the U.S. maritime industrial base and create new business opportunities
- Establish joint governance and working groups to ensure alignment with U.S. laws and strategic priorities, reinforcing a long-term cooperative relationship based on mutual trust
- Expand the cooperative model to allied shipyards outside the U.S., enhancing global technological competitiveness
The MoU is effective immediately and will guide cooperative efforts over the next year, with potential for extension and commercialization based on successful pilot outcomes.
