Unmanned craft developer Saronic Technologies has announced the acquisition of Gulf Craft, a Louisiana-based shipbuilder, to accelerate its growth into autonomous shipbuilding.
"Through this acquisition, Saronic gains a strategically located shipyard on the Gulf Coast that will serve as the prototyping and production hub for its medium unmanned surface vessel (MUSV) fleet," said Saronic.
"With over 60 years of experience delivering traditional manned ships and unmanned vessels for commercial and defense applications, the acquisition of Gulf Craft provides Saronic with the infrastructure and skilled workforce needed to develop, rapidly iterate, and scale production of Saronic’s MUSVs today and into the future."
“Today marks a significant milestone in Saronic’s expansion into autonomous shipbuilding and lays the foundation for our vision of our larger, next-generation shipyard, Port Alpha,” added Saronic CEO Dino Mavrookas.
“We don’t wait — we build for what our customers need, when they need it. While we actively search for a home for Port Alpha, this acquisition gives us the immediate capacity to meet urgent customer needs for larger autonomous vessels and the flexibility to scale to address emerging commercial and defense applications of these advanced systems.”
“The investment of Saronic in Louisiana’s shipbuilding industry will grow our economy, create high-quality jobs, and bolster America’s maritime strength,” commented Mike Johnson, Speaker of the US House of Representatives.
“By revitalizing our industrial base right here in Louisiana, we are taking a critical step toward building our own supply chains and countering foreign competitors like China. All of this is essential to our national security. We are grateful to Saronic for [its] commitment to this industry and our great state.”
The acquisition adds nearly 100 acres to Saronic’s footprint, supporting both immediate USV development and production as well as capacity for significant expansion.
Saronic said it plans to invest more than $250 million directly into the shipyard, which will encompass large facility upgrades, modernizing infrastructure, acquiring new machinery, and updating the facilities.
These upgrades are designed to support a rapid capacity ramp-up, enabling Saronic to deliver up to 50 unmanned ships per year.
Saronic said it has retained Gulf Craft’s experienced workforce and expects to create more than 500 new jobs over the next three to four years.