Korea Ocean Business Corp., Korea Maritime Institute team up to build AI-based maritime supply chain early-warning system

Korea Ocean Business Corp. and the Korea Maritime Institute (KMI) have joined forces to build an AI-based maritime supply chain early-warning system. The two organizations plan to jointly develop early-warning indexes and leading indicators for supply chain disruptions, linking their efforts to policy research to strengthen the country's maritime supply chain response capabilities.

Korea Ocean Business Corp. signed an MOU with KMI at the "2026 Maritime Supply Chain Advancement and Proactive Response Policy Forum," held Wednesday afternoon in Busan, to cooperate on the shipping industry and maritime logistics supply chain. The agreement follows the direction for building an AI-based maritime supply chain early-warning system first introduced at the forum that day.

The two organizations established the cooperative framework to get ahead of growing global supply chain risks — including conflicts in the Middle East, disruptions to major maritime shipping routes, and the spread of protectionism — and to strengthen the stability and resilience of the national maritime supply chain.

The initiative carries added weight after "building an AI maritime supply chain early-warning system" was presented as a key task at a Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries second-half work plan briefing chaired by the president on Thursday, July 16. The MOU lays the research and data cooperation foundation needed to support that policy direction.

The two organizations plan to cooperate across a range of areas: developing and refining early-warning indexes and leading indicators for the shipping and logistics supply chain; upgrading maritime supply chain monitoring and early-warning systems; exchanging shipping and logistics market and supply chain information; conducting joint policy research, policy support and analysis; and linking data, systems and expert networks.

Through the partnership, Korea Ocean Business Corp. aims to combine its field-based industrial data and supply chain analysis capabilities accumulated in the shipping and logistics sector with KMI's expertise in shipping and logistics policy research. The goal is to identify supply chain risks early and build an effective cooperative framework connecting domestic industry impact analysis through to policy response.