On August 24, 2022, Smart and Electric Ship Research Association held its inaugural meeting at the Seminar Room on board Hannara of Korea Maritime and Ocean University. Recent advances in artificial intelligence technology and global warming issues have led to expectations and interest in new means of maritime transportation. Against this backdrop, The Society of Naval Architects of Korea (SNAK) is conducting domestic industry-university research on “smart ship technology required for ship operation automation and autonomy including autonomous navigation technology” and “electric propulsion ship technology using electric energy as a power source for ship propulsion.” In order to activate and provide a platform for technical and human exchange of related researchers, the establishment of the Smart Electric Ship Research Association was promoted, and the result came to fruition.
The inaugural general meeting was held with great success with about 100 industry-university-institute officials attending. Beginning with a speech of encouragement by Shin-hyung Rhee, President of SNAK, a welcome speech by KAIST Professor Jin-hwan Kim, President of the Association, and the installation progress report by Professor Jong-soo Kim of Korea Maritime and Ocean University, Vice President of the Association, further congratulatory speeches were delivered from Korea Maritime and Ocean University President Deog-hee Doh, Hyundai Heavy Industries President Kwang-heon Ahn, Korea Research Institute of Ships and Ocean Engineering President Boo-ki Kim, Korea Marine Equipment Research Institute President Jeong-cheol Bae, and Research Institute of Medium and Small Shipbuilding President Yong-seok Suh.
To commemorate the founding of the research group, two invitational seminars were held. In the first seminar, Korea Evaluation Institute of Industrial Technology's shipbuilding and marine Program Director Min-cheol Ryu introduced the Korean government's research and development project for the shipbuilding and marine industry under the title of Shipbuilding and Marine Industry R&D Project and estimated the direction of smart electric ship research and development. In the second seminar, Hyeon-gu Lee, Head of the Electric Propulsion Research Center at the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute, gave a presentation titled “Technology Trends and Market Forecast for Electric Propulsion Ships,” analyzing the current domestic and international electric propulsion ship technology development trends and future market prospects. After the presentation event, a tour of the Hannara, the world's largest pilot training vessel, was held, and the event concluded with a dinner in the cafeteria at the Korea Maritime and Ocean University.
This research society is scheduled to hold its first academic event in early 2023 (schedule and location undecided), and expects to play a pivotal role in research on smart ship and electric ship technology in Korea in the future.
<Photo of Smart and Electric Ship Research Association>