Saronic Technologies will invest $300 million to expand its shipyard in Franklin, Louisiana, increasing production capacity for its autonomous surface vessels.
The expansion is being carried out with support from Louisiana Economic Development, St. Mary Parish, and other state and local partners.
Saronic began construction on the expansion last month, planning to add more than 300,000 square feet (27,870 square meters) of new production space.
Work is scheduled for completion by late 2026, with expanded operations starting in early 2027.
The expansion will include a dedicated assembly line for larger ships, including the 180-foot (55-meter) Marauder.
Saronic is working with JacobsWyper Architects, P2S, KPFF, JE Dunn, and Alberici on the design and construction phases.
Advancing Maritime Autonomy
As Saronic expands its role in the autonomous maritime sector, the company is advancing several programs and partnerships tied to US defense priorities.
In October, Saronic and NVIDIA began a collaboration focused on integrating high-performance computing, AI, and advanced simulation into unmanned surface vessels.
The effort is intended to speed up the development of autonomous ships capable of operating with limited human oversight in complex maritime settings.
The company has also widened its autonomous systems portfolio.
Over the past year, Saronic has introduced the 24-foot (7.3-meter) Corsair, its largest vessel to date, along with two smaller platforms, the 14-foot (4.2-meter) Cipher, and the 6-foot (1.8-meter) Spyglass.
The systems are designed to meet operational requirements set by the US Navy and partners.
