en.Wedoany.com Reported - Davie Defense has officially broken ground on a modernization project at Gulf Copper's shipyard facilities in Galveston and Port Arthur, Texas, aiming to restore the state's complex shipbuilding capabilities that have been dormant for decades.

The project comes less than a year after Davie announced its acquisition of Gulf Copper. The first phase of the shipyard upgrade is expected to be completed by 2028, with total investment potentially reaching $1 billion. This timeline aligns with the U.S. Coast Guard's plan to build five Arctic Security Cutters (ASC), with the first two to be constructed at Davie's affiliated Helsinki Shipyard in Finland, and the lead vessel scheduled for delivery in 2028.

At the groundbreaking ceremony, Davie Defense and Gulf Copper's owners and management were joined by several U.S. government officials who delivered remarks. Speakers included Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought, Senator Ted Cruz, Congressman Randy Weber, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Troy Edgar, and Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Kevin Lunday.

According to an independent economic study commissioned by Davie Defense and conducted by Austin-based analytics firm Impact Data Source in 2025, the Gulf Copper project is expected to directly create approximately 2,400 American jobs and support up to 7,000 positions statewide through supply chain and related economic activities.

During the groundbreaking, Davie Defense also hosted a salute from the Battleship Texas. Commissioned in 1914, the ship served 34 years in the U.S. Navy and participated in five World War II campaigns. It is currently undergoing refurbishment at Gulf Copper, with the shipyard providing ongoing in-kind support, while the Battleship Texas Foundation plans to transform it into a modern world-class museum.

Philip Burns-O'Brien, President and CEO of Davie Defense and Gulf Copper, noted that the U.S. must rebuild its industrial capacity to restore maritime power. He stated that Gulf Copper is not just an investment in facilities but part of a broader vision to revive U.S. shipbuilding capabilities amid intensifying strategic competition, and believes Texas has the industrial base, talent, and ambition to lead this revival.

James Davies, Co-founder and CEO of Inocea Group, Davie Defense's parent company, emphasized that this groundbreaking is about rebuilding sovereign capacity, strengthening U.S. maritime security, and restoring the West's ability to deliver complex ships at speed and scale. He noted that the group has spent 15 years proving that Western shipyards can be transformed into world-class industrial assets and is ready to bring that experience to Texas.

Alex Vicefield, Co-founder and Chairman of Inocea Group, stated that the return of complex shipbuilding to the U.S. is a historic milestone for Texas. He believes Gulf Copper provides the group with a strategic foothold in one of America's most important maritime hubs, offering access to talent, infrastructure, and top-tier partners, reflecting the belief that the U.S. can once again become a global leader in shipbuilding.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott called Texas the starting point for revitalizing U.S. shipbuilding, saying Davie Defense's investment in expanding the shipyard will bring advanced defense manufacturing, thousands of high-paying jobs to the state, and enhance U.S. maritime security.

Senator Cruz stated that the shipyard will create thousands of high-skilled, high-paying jobs for welders, engineers, and technicians across the region. He mentioned that as Chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, he secured over $24 billion in last summer's Working Families Tax Cuts Act—the largest investment in Coast Guard history. He believes the shipyard demonstrates that when bureaucracy is eliminated and backed by real investment, opportunities will follow.

Senator Cornyn congratulated Davie Defense on the groundbreaking of the Gulf Copper shipyard. He noted that this historic investment in Galveston and Port Arthur will bring thousands of high-paying jobs, modernize the Coast Guard fleet by building Arctic Security Cutters, and strengthen the shipbuilding capacity needed for national security.

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