Partnership to boost safety, productivity, and digital classification
ABS and Persona AI have signed an MOU to bring humanoid robots into shipyards, aiming to improve safety and efficiency.
The partnership will adapt Persona AI’s humanoid robots, partly based on NASA’s robotic hand technology, for shipyard tasks. Unlike fixed industrial robots, humanoid robots can move and operate in spaces designed for humans. This allows them to work in complex, tight, and ergonomically challenging areas.
ABS and Persona AI will run joint development projects to collect data during ship construction. This data will help shape new ABS standards for digital and remote surveys. The standards will guide how robots collect, process, and deliver data for certification and compliance.
“ABS is proud to lead the safe integration of new technology into maritime,” said John McDonald, ABS President and COO. “This collaboration combines robotics with our expertise in safety and classification. Together, we are shaping a smarter, safer shipbuilding future.”
Persona AI CEO Nic Radford called the project a turning point:
“Humanoid robotics are no longer a distant concept. Working with ABS brings them closer to certified use in shipyards, transforming how this industry builds and competes.”
The project builds on ABS’s ongoing work in AI and data quality, pushing the industry toward safer, more automated shipyard operations.
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