JE Dunn, Alberici Celebrate Topping Out of $300 Million Saronic Technologies Expansion Project

[By Saronic]

JE Dunn Construction and Alberici Constructors, Inc. celebrated the topping out – placing the final structural beam – of Saronic Technologies’ $300 million shipyard expansion project. A leader in maritime autonomy innovation and next generation shipbuilding, Saronic will use the expanded Franklin shipyard to increase production capacity for its fleet of Marauders – the company’s 180-foot fully autonomous ships – and strengthen the Gulf Coast’s role in the future of American maritime innovation in the process.

“Topping out this advanced maritime facility marks a significant milestone,” said Drew Cain, vice president and project executive at JE Dunn. “This expansion represents the promising future for the industry, built with new and innovative technologies that only modern manufacturing can deliver. It is a tremendous honor for the JE Dunn | Alberici joint venture to build a facility that will fundamentally reshape American shipbuilding.”

The project broke ground in November 2025 and is expected to be completed in early 2027. The JE Dunn | Alberici joint venture is adding more than 300,000 square feet to the existing footprint, including three new slips, expanded warehouse capacity, and a dedicated production line for Saronic’s Marauder vessels.