Busan signs MOU to establish Marine AI Materials Research Center

Busan city signed a memorandum of understanding Wednesday with Pukyong National University and the Korea Institute of Materials Science to establish a Marine AI Materials Research Center aimed at driving digital innovation in the city's emerging marine industries. The signing ceremony took place at the university's main administration building.

The agreement is designed to integrate AI technology into traditional marine, fisheries and shipbuilding industries — both upstream and downstream — to identify next-generation marine business opportunities and position Busan as a key hub leading the global shift toward smart, eco-friendly marine mobility.

The center will be set up in rooms 1011 and 1012 of the Hanmiru Building on Pukyong National University's Yongdang Campus, covering a total floor area of 108.75 square meters and housing laboratory and office space. It will operate under a structure of one center and three research labs, staffed by researchers from both Pukyong National University and the Korea Institute of Materials Science, and will lead AI-driven digital transformation across the marine industry.

The three labs will each have a distinct focus. The Marine AI Energy Materials Lab will conduct AI-based design of eco-friendly energy materials and corrosion- and fouling-resistant materials tailored for marine environments. The Marine AI Process Automation Lab will develop automated processes linking hull-painting robots, smart maintenance systems and autonomous vehicles. The Marine AI Component Performance Evaluation Lab will pursue smart component lifespan prediction based on maintenance data and work to secure digital twin verification technology.

Under the agreement, Busan city will provide administrative support for the center's establishment and operation and work to attract national government funding and inter-regional cooperation projects. Pukyong National University will supply research space and carry out industry-academia collaborative research. The Korea Institute of Materials Science will take charge of developing core source technologies in advanced marine materials and planning large-scale research and development projects.

"The advanced source technologies and major R&D outcomes the center generates — spanning eco-friendly energy material design, robotic processes and digital twin-based verification — will spread across the entire industry and serve as a powerful catalyst for drawing cutting-edge companies in related fields to Busan," Mayor Jeon said.