Saronic Expands its Louisiana Shipyard
Saronic has announced a $300 million investment to expand its Franklin, Louisiana shipyard.
Supported by close partnerships with Louisiana Economic Development, St. Mary Parish, and other state and local officials, Saronic is expanding its facility to meet surging demand for its autonomous ships.
As part of the shipyard expansion, Saronic will construct three new slips, expand its warehouse, and develop a dedicated production line for large-vessel assembly — namely Marauder, the company’s 180-foot autonomous ship. Saronic is collaborating with industry leaders JacobsWyper Architects, P2S, KPFF, JE Dunn, and Alberici on the design and construction.
The company broke ground on the new construction project in November 2025, which will add more than 300,000 square feet of new production capacity. The project is slated for completion by the end of 2026, with expanded operations coming online in early 2027.
“This expansion represents what American industry can achieve when innovation and production are fully aligned,” said Dino Mavrookas, Saronic Co-founder and CEO. “Our expanded shipyard will enable us to deliver autonomous ships at unprecedented speed and scale while creating 1,500 high-quality jobs across Louisiana. 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.”
At its Franklin facility, Saronic is currently constructing two 150-foot Marauder vessels, having progressed from initial design to full vessel development in just six months. The company expects to deliver its first vessel by the end of the year.
Through vertical integration, iterative design, and advanced manufacturing, Saronic has evolved Marauder’s design to 180-feet, enhancing its payload capacity and operational range. The updated vessel is capable of carrying up to four 40-foot or eight 20-foot ISO containers. 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 Marauder can operate autonomously or under remote supervision for extended missions.
By employing reusable subassemblies, optimizing production sequencing, and leveraging domestic supply chains, Saronic says it is setting a new standard for rapid, scalable, and adaptable U.S. shipbuilding. The company’s unique approach to developing and producing autonomous ships has already delivered a 25 percent gain in efficiency between the development and build of its first two Marauder vessel, and the company plans to further accelerate that rate of efficiency as it ramps up production.
Saronic’s Franklin expansion represents a major investment in the Gulf Coast’s maritime economy and workforce. Since beginning operations in April 2025, Saronic has tripled the workforce — growing it from an initial team of roughly 30 employees to more than 100. The company plans to continue to grow its local workforce, creating 1,500 new jobs over the coming years across welding, fabrication, engineering, and systems integration. These positions will be supported by local workforce training programs and educational partnerships, ensuring that Louisiana’s skilled labor force continues to grow alongside the region’s maritime industry.
The Franklin facility complements Saronic’s plans for Port Alpha, the largest and most advanced shipyard in the US, designed to produce large autonomous ships at speed and scale and create thousands of jobs. These two facilities form an integrated production ecosystem designed to accelerate America’s shipbuilding capabilities and the integration of autonomous ships into national maritime operations.
