Saronic Acquires Gulf Craft to Expand Autonomous Shipbuilding and Invests $250M in Louisiana Shipyard
Autonomous vessel developer Saronic has announced the acquisition of Gulf Craft, a company based in Louisiana, marking a significant step forward in its expansion into autonomous shipbuilding.
This acquisition grants Saronic access to a strategically located shipyard on the Gulf Coast, which will serve as the production center for its medium unmanned surface vessel (MUSV) fleet, starting with the Marauder, a 150-foot Autonomous Surface Vessel (ASV).
Source: Saronic
Gulf Craft brings over 60 years of experience in constructing both manned and unmanned vessels for commercial and defense purposes. The facility spans nearly 100 acres and is set to undergo major modernization, with Saronic planning to invest over $250 million in infrastructure improvements.
The Marauder is designed with a payload capacity of 40 metric tons and can travel up to 3 500 nautical miles or remain on station for more than 30 days. It will operate fully unmanned and will incorporate Saronic’s established autonomy technology.
“Today marks a significant milestone in Saronic’s expansion into autonomous shipbuilding,” stated Saronic CEO Dino Mavrookas. “This acquisition provides us with the immediate capacity to address urgent customer demands for larger autonomous vessels.”
The company intends to keep Gulf Craft’s existing workforce while creating over 500 new jobs in the next 3-4 years, including roles for skilled shipbuilders, engineers, and naval architects. The upgraded facility is expected to produce up to 50 unmanned vessels each year.
Looking to the future, Saronic has announced plans to invest more than $2,5 billion in the development of Port Alpha, which aims to become the world’s most advanced shipyard capable of producing hundreds of unmanned vessels annually.
