KRISO acquires world’s first certification for autonomous ship performance verification system

▶ KRISO obtains Digital Twin READY certification from Lloyd’s Register for simulation-based autonomous ship performance verification system

▶ Tests conducted by Autonomous Ship Verification & Evaluation Research Center and test vessel expected to enhance reliability of industrial technology

□ Korea Research Institute of Ships & Ocean Engineering(President, Keyyong Hong, hereinafter referred to as KRISO) announced on April 24 that it has obtained Digital Twin READY certification from Lloyd's Register(LR) for its autonomous ship performance verification technology based on virtual environments.

□ Following the global trend in the development of autonomous ship technology, in 2020, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries launched a joint task force for the development of autonomous ship technology, and have been dedicated to creating a real-world foundation for the development and commercialization of autonomous ships through the Korea Autonomous Surface Ship Project (KASS Project).

□ As part of such efforts, KRISO, supported by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, has established the Autonomous Ship Verification & Evaluation Research Center, and is operating the autonomous test vessel called Haeyangnuri.

□ Led by KRISO and developed in collaboration with SafeTechResearch and Xinnos, the now-certified Simulation-based Test for Autonomous Ships (S-TAS) and the Virtual Data Generation System (VDGS) have been installed at the Autonomous Ship Verification & Evaluation Research Center.

□ LR's Digital Twin READY certification approves the suitability of digital twin-based technologies. Through assessments of the engineering, software development processes and development capabilities of S-TAS and VDGS, these systems have been officially recognized by LR as ready to verify the performance, safety, and reliability of various systems installed on autonomous ships.

□ S-TAS is a system designed to simulate the real-world operating environment of ships and their machinery to verify the performance of systems installed on autonomous ships. It allows for the simulation of various test conditions that might occur at sea.

□ In addition, VDGS eliminates constraints related to traffic conditions during sea trials by providing virtual maritime ships and obstacles as conditions for the target systems during actual offshore tests. This enables the simulation of numerous traffic scenarios and the testing of system performance.

□ KRISO’s acquisition of the Digital Twin READY certification is significant because it demonstrates global leadership in not only advanced autonomous ship technology but also performance verification, which is seen as crucial for the safe operation of autonomous ships.

□ KRISO plans to enhance the core technologies of autonomous ships by conducting performance demonstrations under complex conditions, including ports using S-TAS and VDGS. It also aims to continually support the domestic shipbuilding and maritime industry to ensure that Korean maintains its technological innovation and international competitiveness.