Saronic Invests $300M to Expand Louisiana Shipyard to Accelerate ASVs Produ

ASV construction shipyard — Saronic is building its first two ASVs as it moves to expand capacity with a major shipyard expansion (Saronic)

A U.S. defense tech startup specializing in autonomous ships is pushing to enhance its competitiveness in the fast-growing market with a $300 million investment to expand its production facility. Texas-based Saronic Technologies wants to deliver autonomous ships at speed and scale with the massive investment to expand its Franklin, Louisiana, shipyard.

The firm, which began operations in April this year with the ambitions of redefining the building of unmanned surface vehicles, reports that the expanded facility will enable it to increase the production of autonomous surface vessels (ASVs) while significantly growing its workforce. The expansion project will add more than 300,000 square feet of new production capacity and create 1,500 new jobs.

The new facility, which is expected to strengthen the Gulf Coast’s role in the future of U.S. maritime innovation, is slated for completion by the end of 2026, with expanded operations coming online a year later. The project will encompass the construction of three new slips, warehouse expansion, and the development of a dedicated production line for large-vessel assembly, namely Marauder, the firm’s 180-foot autonomous ship.

Saronic is currently constructing two Marauder vessels at the Franklin facility, having progressed from initial design to full vessel development in just six months. At 150 feet, Marauder is a large ASV that has a payload capacity of up to 40 metric tonnes and can travel up to 3,500 nautical miles or loiter for more than 30 days. The vessel is designed to support a range of missions for the U.S. Navy, its allies, and commercial customers. The firm expects that construction of the first vessel will be complete by the end of the year.

In recent months, Saronic has managed to improve the vessel’s design to 180 feet, enhancing its payload capacity and operational range. The updated vessel is capable of hosting up to four 40-foot or eight 20-foot containers, providing unmatched modularity for logistics, payload delivery, and sustained operations at sea. The new design comes with a cruise speed of 12 knots and a top speed of 25 knots, a 150-metric-ton payload capacity, and a range of up to 5,400 nautical miles.

The firm, which earlier this year acquired Louisiana-based shipbuilder Gulf Craft to accelerate its growth into autonomous shipbuilding, contends the expanded facility is critical to its growth ambitions. In the coming years, it plans to create about 1,500 new jobs ranging from welding to fabrication, engineering, and systems integration.

“Our expanded shipyard will enable us to deliver autonomous ships at unprecedented speed and scale. Together with our next-generation Port Alpha shipyard, we’re establishing the modern blueprint for American shipbuilding, an integrated ecosystem that connects autonomy innovation with large-scale production capacity to strengthen and sustain America’s maritime leadership for generations to come,” said Dino Mavrookas, Saronic Co-founder and CEO.

The Franklin facility is expected to complement Saronic’s plans for Port Alpha, which the company has touted as the largest and most advanced shipyard in the U.S., designed to produce large autonomous ships at speed and scale.