US and Japan to Invest $100 Million in Shipbuilding Sector on AI Utilisation　日米、造船分野に1億ドル投資でAI活用

Domestically, Restart of LNG Carrier Construction Sought, Annual Three-Vessel System Considered at Koyagi Base

国内ではLNG船建造再開、香焼拠点で年3隻体制を模索

　The governments of the United States and Japan are set to embark on a joint initiative in the shipbuilding sector utilising artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics. According to reporting by Maritime Bridge Japan based on interviews conducted with officials from Japan’s Ministry of Defense and sources within the shipbuilding industry by the morning of March 17, final adjustments are under way towards establishing a framework in which the Japanese side will invest approximately $100 million (around ¥16 billion), with core pillars including AI-driven welding, production automation, and the development of specialised human resources.

■The full article covers the following topics (approx. 3,000 words in total)

→ The United States and Japan to invest approximately $100 million in shipbuilding, aiming for a production revolution through AI and robotics

→ Agreement expected at the leaders’ summit, with the frontline of competition with China shifting to shipbuilding × AI

→ Restart of LNG carrier construction in Japan, with a plan emerging for an annual three-vessel system at the Koyagi base

→ Collaboration between Imabari Shipbuilding and Oshima Shipbuilding, challenging the reconstruction of a lost technological foundation

→ The greatest bottleneck is labour shortages, determining the success of a “two-front strategy”

Photo courtesy of Aker Shipyard

(Please read the continuation in the full article available in both English and Japanese. The Japanese article is published following the English version.)

日米、造船分野に1億ドル　AI活用、首脳間合意へ

国内ではLNG船建造再開、香焼拠点で年3隻体制を模索

　日米両政府が造船分野で人工知能（AI）やロボティクスを活用した共同事業に踏み出すことが明らかになった。Maritime Bridge Japanが3月17日午前までに防衛省関係者や造船業界関係者へ取材したところ、日本側が約1億ドル（約160億円）を投資し、AIによる溶接や生産自動化、専門人材育成などを柱とする枠組みを構築する方向で最終調整に入っている。

■記事本文では以下の内容を読むことができます（記事全文約3000文字）

→ 日米が造船分野に約1億ドルを投資、AI・ロボットで生産革命へ

→ 首脳会談で合意見通し、対中競争の主戦場が造船×AIに移行

→ 日本でLNG船建造再開へ、香焼拠点で年3隻体制構想が浮上

→ 今治造船×大島造船の連携、失われた技術基盤の再構築に挑戦

→ 最大のボトルネックは人材不足、「二正面戦略」の成否を左右

Photo courtesy of Aker Shipyard

（続きは英語と日本語で書かれた本文でお読みください。日本語の記事は英文記事に続いて掲載されています）