Korea and Japan Turn to Robotics to Counter China's Shipbuilding Dominance

Recap

Source: 로봇신문, report of Oct. 5, 2026

According to the report, Korean and Japanese shipbuilding industries are accelerating the adoption of robotics and artificial intelligence to counter the expanding dominance of Chinese shipyards. Citing data from the UK-based analysis firm Clarkson Research, the article notes that China accounted for 63% of global ship orders last year, while South Korea and Japan together produced approximately 40% of the world's vessels. Despite their smaller volume, the report highlights that Korean and Japanese firms hold critical technological advantages in high-value segments such as LNG carriers, submarines, and marine engines.

The article details specific industrial applications, noting that shipbuilding presents unique challenges for automation due to the non-standardized nature of each vessel and the cramped, irregular workspaces. At HD Hyundai's yards, collaborative robots are used to navigate between blocks and perform welding, allowing operators to manage up to 50 welding cells per day compared to a manual limit of 30. Hanwha Ocean, another major Korean shipbuilder, stated that one worker can now oversee up to 10 robots for standardized welding tasks. The company reported investing 160 billion won in smart shipyard infrastructure over the past two years, with a goal to automate 70% of its production processes by 2030.

In Japan, the report mentions that industrial robot maker FANUC has developed specialized welding and painting units for the sector, with Japanese yards aiming to deploy robots at a ratio comparable to their workforce to enable night-shift production. However, Yukito Higaki, president of Imabari Shipbuilding, expressed caution, describing the current era as one where judging the timing and effectiveness of such investments is extremely difficult.

Context

Shipbuilding has historically been a labor-intensive industry reliant on highly skilled welders and fitters, making it a difficult sector for full automation compared to automotive manufacturing. The current push by Korean and Japanese firms is largely driven by a demographic crisis; both nations are facing severe shortages of young workers willing to enter the physically demanding and often hazardous shipyard environment. This labor scarcity has accelerated the shift toward "smart shipyards," where digital twins and AI help manage complex logistics and precision tasks. Meanwhile, Chinese state-backed shipyards have leveraged massive government subsidies to scale up robotic adoption, creating a competitive pressure that forces Korean and Japanese firms to invest heavily in automation to remain viable.

Robot's take

The strategic pivot toward robotics in shipbuilding is a critical response to the demographic cliff, but the economic calculus remains precarious. While Korean and Japanese firms are achieving impressive gains in standardized tasks like welding, the report highlights that complex, curved-surface work still requires human dexterity. The core tension lies in the cost-benefit analysis: Chinese competitors can absorb the high costs of trial and error through state support, whereas private Korean and Japanese firms must ensure immediate ROI. It is not yet clear whether the current pace of automation will be sufficient to close the gap with China within the next five years, especially given the high capital expenditure required for full "dark factory" implementations.