South Korea’s largest shipyard set to welcome humanoids to workforce

Amid ongoing workforce shortages, humanoids will start working at South Korea’s largest shipbuilder soon. 

HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering) and HD Hyundai Robotics have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Houston-based Persona AI, and manufacturing firm Vazil Company. The agreement initiates a joint program to create humanoid robots capable of performing complex welding tasks in shipyard environments.

The initiative will deliver prototype humanoids by the end of 2026, with field testing and full commercial deployment scheduled to begin in 2027.

Persona AI will lead the development of humanoid hardware and AI-based control and learning algorithms. Vazil Company will develop the welding tools and build the industrial testing environment. HD KSOE will support deployment in live shipyard settings and provide field engineering data. HD Hyundai Robotics will contribute welding-path AI training data and performance validation.

HD KSOE senior vice president Dong-ju Lee stated, “Welding humanoids will not only boost productivity but also significantly reduce the burden on workers and greatly enhance safety. By developing robots optimised for shipyard tasks, we aim to set a new paradigm in shipbuilding automation. Our goal is a smart shipyard where humans and intelligent robots collaborate seamlessly.”

Persona AI is led by Nicolaus Radford who previously ran Nauticus Robotics. 

Radford commented, “As heavy industry faces growing labour constraints—especially in high-risk trades like welding—the need for rugged, autonomous humanoid robots is more urgent than ever.”

According to Persona AI, shipyards around the world are reporting attrition rates of 20–22% among average workers, with critical trades experiencing rates as high as 30% or more. Additionally, recruitment programs have struggled to retain new hires, with reports indicating that 50–60% of first-year shipyard employees leave within their first year. Splash has reported repeatedly on South Korea’s struggles to attract suitable numbers of shipyard labourers in recent years as the country’s ship orders have swelled.

Persona’s purpose-built humanoids claim to have the dexterity and toughness to execute tasks such as hull welding, repair and fitting in confined spaces.

HD Hyundai Robotics vice president Young-hoon Song stated, “Unlike conventional robots that focus solely on repetitive tasks, these robots must be able to observe, reason, and make decisions.”

Vazil Company CTO Sungwon Kim added, “By developing humanoids capable of precision welding, we will elevate shipyard automation to the next level. This partnership marks a significant milestone in a global industrial robotics collaboration.”