Articles tagged with "shipbuilding"
Blue Water Autonomy nets $50M to build autonomous ships
Blue Water Autonomy, a Boston-based company specializing in unmanned ships for the U.S. Navy, has raised $50 million in Series A funding, bringing its total capital raised to $64 million following a $14 million seed round in April 2025. The company plans to build and deploy its first long-range, full-sized autonomous ship next year. Since its seed round, Blue Water Autonomy has significantly expanded its team, conducted on-water engineering tests, and begun sourcing materials from over 50 suppliers. CEO Rylan Hamilton emphasized the urgent need for autonomous ships tailored for maritime security and logistics, highlighting the company’s focused strategy on perfecting a single platform to ensure quality, reliability, and rapid market entry. The funding round was led by GV, with participation from existing investors Eclipse, Riot, and Impatient Ventures, and GV Managing Partner Dave Munichiello joining Blue Water’s Board of Directors. Blue Water Autonomy aims to address the growing challenge posed by China’s dominant shipbuilding capacity
robotautonomous-shipsmaritime-securityunmanned-surface-vesselsAI-integrationnaval-technologyshipbuildingBill Gates backs nuclear-powered ships in new push with HD Hyundai
HD Hyundai, South Korea’s leading shipbuilder, is strengthening its partnership with Bill Gates’ nuclear energy startup TerraPower to advance small modular reactor (SMR) technology, particularly for marine applications. Executive Vice Chairman Chung Ki-sun met with Gates in Seoul to discuss collaboration on TerraPower’s Natrium reactor, a fourth-generation sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) design known for high thermal efficiency, enhanced safety, and up to 40% reduced nuclear waste compared to conventional reactors. This meeting followed a March agreement to build a manufacturing and supply network for Natrium reactors, including a planned 345-megawatt reactor in Wyoming for which HD Hyundai will supply the reactor vessel. HD Hyundai had previously invested $30 million in TerraPower, underscoring its commitment to this technology. HD Hyundai views SMRs as a crucial component of the future global energy mix and aims to develop marine nuclear propulsion systems, including SMRs and hydrogen fuel cells, with a planned investment of about $215 million
energynuclear-energysmall-modular-reactorsSMRTerraPowerHD-HyundaishipbuildingRussia to redeploy 28,000-ton nuclear battlecruiser after 3 decades
Russia’s nuclear-powered battlecruiser Admiral Nakhimov, a 28,000-ton Kirov-class warship originally laid down in 1983 and launched in 1986, has returned to sea trials after nearly three decades. The ship, renamed in 1992 after Admiral Pavel Nakhimov, has been undergoing an extensive modernization since 2014 at the Sevmash shipyard. This overhaul, described as the most comprehensive refit of any Russian surface combatant in decades, aims to transform the vessel into the future flagship of the Russian Navy. The ship’s two nuclear reactors were restarted earlier in 2025, and it recently began factory sea trials in the White Sea, marking a significant milestone after multiple delays that pushed the project’s completion from an initial 2018 estimate to now expected around 2024-2025. Key upgrades include the installation of 174 vertical launch cells, surpassing the missile capacity of comparable surface combatants like China’s Type
energynuclear-powernaval-technologymissile-systemsmilitary-modernizationshipbuildingdefense-technologyUS certifies Hyundai's breakthrough ship propulsion system
Hyundai has achieved a historic milestone by securing the first-ever New Technology Qualification (NTQ) certificate from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) for its advanced electric propulsion system, developed by its affiliates HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI). This breakthrough propulsion system, known as the Breakerless-MVDC Power System, utilizes medium-voltage direct current (MVDC) to optimize power distribution, reduce energy loss, and improve ship operational efficiency. The certification validates the system’s technical feasibility and maturity after a rigorous evaluation, marking a significant advancement in marine electrification technology for both commercial and naval vessels. The collaboration between ABS and HD Hyundai underscores a shared commitment to maritime safety and the transition to clean energy, aiming to support the shipping industry’s goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050. HD KSOE emphasizes that MVDC technology is essential for advancing electrification and automation in large vessels, building on their prior
energymarine-electrificationelectric-propulsionshipbuildingclean-energyzero-carbon-vesselspower-systemsHyundai shipyard trials German humanoid robot for welding tasks
Hyundai’s shipbuilding division is partnering with German robotics firm Neura Robotics to trial advanced humanoid and quadruped robots, specifically the 4NE1 humanoid robot, for welding and assembly tasks in shipyards. This collaboration involves HD Hyundai Robotics and HD Hyundai Samho, who will provide technical expertise and real-world testing environments at their Korean shipyards. The initiative aims to enhance safety, efficiency, and productivity in the shipbuilding industry, which is known for its demanding and hazardous working conditions. Notably, Hyundai is leveraging external innovation despite owning Boston Dynamics, signaling a strategic move to integrate cutting-edge cognitive robotics into heavy industry operations. The 4NE1 robot is designed with cognitive capabilities and adaptive learning to handle complex tasks autonomously, addressing challenges such as skilled labor shortages and the physical demands of shipyard work. HD Hyundai Robotics will contribute welding automation expertise, including path-learning data and performance validation, to ensure the robots meet rigorous industrial standards. This partnership was officially announced at the Autom
robothumanoid-robotwelding-automationshipbuildingindustrial-roboticsHD-Hyundai-RoboticsNeura-RoboticsPersona AI raises $27M to develop humanoid robots for shipyards
robothumanoid-robotsindustrial-automationshipbuildingrobotics-as-a-serviceworkplace-safetylabor-shortages