Pukyong National University

Pukyong National University Participates in Korea-U.S. Joint International R&D Project on Shipbuilding and Marine Technology

- Professor Jae-Min Lee’s Research Team to Develop Next-Generation Digital Ship Design Technology

Professor Jae-Min Lee’s research team in the Major of Mechanical Systems Engineering at Pukyong National University will participate in a Korea-U.S. joint international research project in the shipbuilding and marine sector.

Pukyong National University will participate as a joint research and development institution, alongside Seoul National University, the lead institution, in the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy’s project titled “Development of Multi-Fidelity-Based Integrated Ship Design Optimization Technology for Fluid, Structural, and Production Systems.”

The project, conducted as a Korea-U.S. joint international research initiative, is part of the international cooperation sector of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy’s 2026 Shipbuilding and Marine Industry Technology Development Program. It is linked to the MASGA (Make American Shipbuilding Great Again) initiative, a framework for cooperation between the Korean and U.S. shipbuilding industries.

The project is led by Seoul National University, with Pukyong National University participating as a joint research and development institution alongside GIST, Korea Maritime & Ocean University, Dong-A University, Chungnam National University, and the Research Institute of Medium & Small Shipbuilding. Industry participants include Hanwha Ocean, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, Samsung Heavy Industries, and Hanwha Systems. Overseas institutions, including the University of Iowa, the University of Michigan, and Italy’s CNR-INM, are also participating.

The project will receive KRW 9 billion in funding through 2030. Its goal is to establish a next-generation integrated ship design framework that combines performance, productivity, and verifiability, applying an advanced digital design platform to conventional shipbuilding technologies.

Pukyong National University will receive approximately KRW 400 million in research funding through the project and will be responsible for optimizing ship production and construction strategies. The university will conduct research and development aimed at predicting welding deformation and improving productivity. Key research areas will include △ analyzing the production characteristics of ship structures and welded joints, △ developing technology to predict welding deformation at the block level, and △ establishing a welding deformation database based on empirical data and developing design-support technologies.

The international joint research project is expected to help secure core technologies for national ship design while creating a new growth engine for the shipbuilding industry through Korea-U.S. cooperation. It is also expected to accelerate process innovation and productivity improvements at shipbuilding sites, promote the commercialization of core technologies, and generate significant benefits for the local economy.