The Busan New Port logistics terminal is set to transform into a fully autonomous smart port.
The city of Busan announced that it has been selected for the 'Development of Autonomous Driving-Based Smart Port Mobility Platform Technology' project under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's 2026 automotive industry technology development initiative.
From 2026 to 2029, a total of 45.46 billion won (approximately $38 million) will be invested to convert the loading and transportation equipment at Busan Port to autonomous driving and to develop an integrated control system for its operation.
The project site is located at the Dongwon Global Terminal in Busan New Port. The core of the initiative is to localize and commercialize smart port mobility safety and collaboration platforms using port-specific precision positioning technology that combines vehicle-to-everything (V2X) and ultra-wideband (UWB) wireless communication, as well as collaborative perception technology between workers, equipment, and autonomous mobile robots (AMR).
The total project funding consists of 20 billion won from the national government, 15 billion won from the city, and 10.46 billion won from private investment. The city’s contribution of 15 billion won, which is a fixed matching amount, will be reflected in the supplementary budget.
A Busan city official explained, "In terms of total project costs, the city will bear about 30% of the expenses." The private investment of 10.46 billion won includes cash contributions from participating companies, labor costs, and the valuation of owned equipment. The project duration is set for four years, but the actual implementation period will be 42 months.
Korea Automotive Technology Institute and Busan Port Authority to Lead Project
The application and overall management of this project will be led by the Korea Automotive Technology Institute and the Busan Port Authority. The detailed project management will involve the Korea Automotive Technology Institute, Smart M2M, and MTI, with a consortium of nine organizations and companies, including Seongwoo Hi-Tech and Hyosung Electric.
A Busan city official noted, "Since this project requires the development of both autonomous driving and vehicle systems, the Korea Automotive Technology Institute, the only automotive research institution in the country, is leading the initiative, and key companies capable of fulfilling specific roles have been selected for the consortium."
The research project is divided into an overall project (4.6 billion won) and three detailed projects. The first project (10.1 billion won) focuses on developing port-specific autonomous driving technology, the second project (17.7 billion won) on developing an electrified vehicle platform, and the third project (17.2 billion won) on developing integrated control and demonstration technology based on autonomous driving.
Technology demonstrations will take place at the Dongwon Global Terminal in Busan. Dongwon has joined as a major participating company, and Hyundai Motor will also participate as a demand company.
Busan city emphasized that this project has distinct differences from existing port automation initiatives.
A city official stated, "While we are developing autonomous vehicles, this project is unique in that it involves converting existing automated guided vehicles (AGV) to autonomous mobile robots (AMR) and developing the entire system."
Legal and institutional enhancements necessary for operating unmanned vehicles in the port will be discussed with relevant ministries, including the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the Ministry of Trade, in the future. Safety guidelines for dockworkers and labor-management consultation procedures will also be detailed in collaboration with the terminal during the project implementation.
A Busan city official remarked, "If the development of this integrated system is successful, it will significantly expand the business areas of participating companies and create jobs in the autonomous driving sector. We anticipate an increase in related sales of about 400 billion won within three years after the project concludes." Additionally, the official stated, "We aim to enhance the operational efficiency and safety of Busan Port and solidify the future mobility industry ecosystem in preparation for the Arctic route era."
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.