Saronic picks Texas for $3B next-generation autonomous shipyard

US maritime autonomy company Saronic has selected Brownsville, Texas, as the future home of Port Alpha, a next-generation shipyard backed by an investment of more than $3 billion that is designed to expand US shipbuilding capacity and accelerate the production of autonomous maritime systems.

First introduced as a vision for the future of maritime manufacturing, Port Alpha now moves from concept to reality through a planned investment of more than $3 billion that aims to establish one of the most advanced shipyards in the world.

Construction is anticipated to begin in 2026, with Port Alpha expected to open for operations in 2028.

“America’s maritime future depends on our ability to build again,” said Dino Mavrookas, Co-Founder and CEO of Saronic.

“Port Alpha is our commitment to that mission. Built from the ground up to deliver ships at a speed and scale not seen since World War II, this investment is about more than constructing a shipyard. It is about rebuilding the industrial capacity, workforce, and manufacturing advantage required to ensure American maritime leadership for decades to come.”

Following a year-long nationwide search evaluating sites across the East, West, and Gulf Coasts, Brownsville was selected after a rigorous review of workforce availability, infrastructure readiness, land scale, logistics, and expansion potential.

Initially situated on 835 acres at the Port of Brownsville, with the opportunity to expand to nearly 4,400 acres, Port Alpha will encompass a shipyard and manufacturing facility capable of producing vessels up to 850 feet. Future site expansion could support the production of vessels over 1,200 feet.

The site provides hundreds of acres of waterfront access, deepwater channel connectivity, multimodal logistics infrastructure, and room for long-term expansion, according to Saronic.

Port Alpha builds on Saronic’s expanding shipbuilding footprint. In early 2025, the company acquired a shipyard in Franklin, Louisiana, where it is investing $300 million to add 300,000 square feet of production capacity. That facility will continue producing Saronic’s 180-foot Marauder autonomous vessel, which was designed and launched in less than one year.