HD Hyundai Robotics Secures Robotic Welding Order from Chouest Group for Smart Shipyard Expansion

HD Hyundai Robotics, the robotics and automation subsidiary of HD Hyundai, has officially entered the U.S. shipyard automation market through a major robotic welding order from Chouest Group. The development marks a significant step in expanding smart shipyard technologies across North America under the MASGA initiative.

The entry is being driven through HD Hyundai Robotics USA, based in Duluth, Georgia, which handled on-the-ground business development and coordination with Chouest Group shipyards across the United States and Brazil.

HD Hyundai Robotics announced that it has secured an order for its ArcLift GO robotic welding system, which will be deployed across three shipyards in North America, including Louisiana, as well as one facility in Brazil operated by Chouest Group.

The deal is seen as a key validation of robotic welding technology in addressing the structural shortage of skilled welders in the U.S. shipbuilding industry, which has increasingly impacted productivity and operational efficiency across major shipyards.

Industry labor shortages have shifted from a temporary challenge to a long-term structural issue, prompting shipbuilders to adopt automation solutions that can complement and gradually replace manual welding processes in large-scale production environments.

HD Hyundai Robotics said ArcLift GO is designed to deliver consistent weld quality while reducing reliance on highly skilled labor, making it suitable for shipyards facing workforce constraints.

The system is designed to adapt to complex shipyard environments and varied structural geometries, enabling more flexible and stable production even under uncertain labor supply conditions.

HD Hyundai Robotics also emphasized that this marks its first robotic welding deployment in the U.S. shipbuilding sector, serving as an important reference project for broader expansion across North America.