ECO to add robotic welding at US and Brazilian shipyards

New robotic welding systems will be applied at three of Edison Chouest’s shipyards in the US and one in Brazil, under an agreement with the US subsidiary of South Korea’s HD Hyundai Robotics.

Under the deal announced on 7 May, HD Hyundai Robotics USA in Duluth, Georgia, will supply its ArcLift GO shipbuilding solution to increase shipyard productivity and improve weld quality, while addressing the structural shortage of skilled welders in the US shipbuilding industry. HD Hyundai Robotics notes its ArcLift GO “provides a practical and scalable solution by ensuring consistent weld quality, reducing dependence on skilled labor, and enabling stable production even under workforce constraints”.

One of the world’s largest owners and operators of offshore support vessels, privately held Edison Chouest Offshore (ECO) operates five shipyards on the US Gulf Coast, including Louisiana, Mississippi, and Florida, and Navship in Navegantes, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

Besides designing and building OSVs for its own fleet, ECO has partnered with Bollinger Shipyards in Lockport, Louisiana, as part of the United Shipbuilding Alliance to support the construction of Arctic Security Cutters, a medium-class polar icebreaker for the US Coast Guard.

Its Navship facility recently secured an order to build a series of remotely operated vehicle support vessels (RSVs) for Brazil’s Petrobras for delivery in 2029-2030. The RSVs will be used for inspection, maintenance, and installation of subsea systems using ROVs. The newbuilds will have hybrid-electric propulsion systems.

According to the manufacturer, ArcLift GO uses a ‘plug-in & play’ concept and is underpinned by intuitive operating software, allowing it to flexibly adapt to various geometries and working environments, while enabling operators with limited experience to manage multiple robots.

This order represents HD Hyundai Robotics’ first robotic solution project in the US shipbuilding sector. Under the Make American Shipbuilding Great Again initiative, the US and South Korea have been working to revive investment and increase productivity and innovation at American shipyards. South Korea has pledged to invest US$150Bn in the US shipbuilding and maritime industrial base.

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