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- Saronic's Port Alpha facility could expand from 835 acres to nearly 4,400 acres
- The shipyard could eventually build vessels exceeding 1,200 feet long
- Saronic expects Port Alpha to create up to 10,000 direct jobs
Saronic has selected Brownsville, Texas, for 'Port Alpha', a planned shipyard designed to produce autonomous vessels at unprecedented industrial scale.
The project is expected to attract more than $3 billion in private investment and begin construction during 2026.
When operational in 2028, the facility will combine shipbuilding, advanced manufacturing, robotics and software development across an 835-acre site.
Port Alpha aims to rebuild American shipbuilding capacity
The site could eventually expand to nearly 4,400 acres, giving Saronic space to develop one of the largest shipbuilding facilities in the United States.
Its initial production facilities will support vessels up to 850 feet long, while later expansion could accommodate ships exceeding 1,200 feet.
The Brownsville location includes waterfront access, a deep-water channel and multimodal transport links needed for large-scale maritime manufacturing.
Saronic selected the site after a year-long search that assessed workforce availability, infrastructure, logistics and future expansion opportunities.
The company expects Port Alpha to create up to 10,000 direct jobs over the next decade, covering welding, machining, robotics, software engineering and naval architecture.
Governor Greg Abbott said the project could generate approximately $750 million in annual wages once the workforce reaches its projected scale.
“America’s maritime future depends on our ability to build again,” said Saronic co-founder and CEO Dino Mavrookas. “Port Alpha is our commitment to that mission.”
Saronic plans to work with technical colleges, universities and local institutions to develop apprenticeships and training programmes supporting the facility’s workforce.
The company says the project could generate more than $160 billion in regional economic impact for Cameron County and $264.5 billion across Texas.
Autonomous vessels will drive the shipyard’s production model
Port Alpha will not operate as a conventional shipyard focused solely on constructing traditional crewed vessels for established naval fleets.
Saronic intends to combine software-defined manufacturing with autonomous maritime systems and large-scale production methods.
The company already operates a growing shipbuilding network, including a Franklin, Louisiana, facility acquired in early 2025.
Saronic is investing $300 million there to add 300,000 square feet of production capacity for its 180-foot Marauder autonomous vessel.
The company is known for autonomous vessels including Corsair and Mirage, while Marauder is competing in the medium unmanned surface vessel programme.
These systems form part of a broader effort to expand autonomous maritime operations across different mission types.
Saronic says Port Alpha will support production at a scale and speed not seen in American shipbuilding since World War II.
The company has not yet disclosed detailed production numbers, vessel schedules, or the exact mix of autonomous platforms planned for the facility.
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