Noesion Radarnoesion.ai
Release2026-10-07

Kawasaki Heavy Industries unveiled a prototype shipbuilding robot. It climbs vertically along ship hulls. It performs welding in all weather conditions. The robot uses physical AI to capture veteran worker techniques. Kawasaki aims to automate shipyard tasks. It addresses labor shortages in Japanese shipbuilding. It preserves skilled manufacturing know-how. Testing will start at a Kagawa plant next fiscal year. Full operations are scheduled for fiscal 2028.

What changed

Shipbuilding welding relied entirely on human workers on vertical hull surfaces.

What it unlocks

Autonomous vertical welding on ship hulls in all weather conditions.

  • testing starts fiscal 2027
  • full operations fiscal 2028

What you need to act on it

  • prototype phase
  • testing at Kagawa plant

Sources

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