US Saronic Expands Franklin Shipyard with $300 Million Investment

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On August 24, the main steel structure of Saronic Technologies' shipyard expansion project in Franklin, Louisiana, reached its topping-out milestone, with the final structural steel beam installed. The project, with a total investment of $300 million, is being constructed by a joint venture of JE Dunn Construction and Alberici Constructors, with KPFF serving as the design firm. The expansion broke ground in November 2025, and the latest construction schedule indicates the project is planned for completion in early 2027.

This expansion will add over 300,000 square feet of production facilities to the existing shipyard, including the construction of three new shipways, an expanded storage area, and a dedicated production line for the Marauder autonomous vessel. At peak construction, approximately 200 construction workers, engineers, and project management personnel will be on site. Structural steel is being fabricated by Hillsdale Fabricators, a subsidiary of Alberici.

Saronic acquired the former Gulf Craft shipyard in April 2025 and established the Franklin production base. After the expansion, this facility will handle the serial production of the 180-foot-class Marauder autonomous surface vessel. The first Marauder entered water trials in 2026, and once the Franklin shipyard expansion is complete, it is planned to have the capacity to build up to 20 Marauder vessels per year.

The state of Louisiana previously provided support for the project, including a $2 million performance-based grant and $3 million in economic development incentive program funding. Saronic plans to create 1,500 direct jobs through the Franklin shipyard expansion. When the company took over the shipyard in April 2025, it retained the original 35 employees, and by December of that year, the workforce had grown to over 100 people.