Saronic Raises Huge Sum To Fund New Autonomous Vessels Shipyard

American defence firm and USV specialist Saronic has raised $600 million to build an autonomous vessels shipyard as it seeks to expand its range.

The Texas-based firm was founded in 2022 and currently has three uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) in its portfolio: the Spyglass, the Cutlass, and the Corsair. The largest of these — the 24ft Corsair — has a claimed 1000-nautical-mile range, a top speed in excess of 35 knots, and can carry payloads of up to 1,000lbs.

The company has headquarters in Austin: it has yet to decide on a site for its new “Port Alpha" next-generation shipyard but is reported to eyeing sites in its home state and along the Gulf coast. The firm said the new yard would “advance its mission of redefining maritime superiority for the United States and its allies.”

It claimed Port Alpha would give the firm the capability to expand its fleet “into medium and large-class autonomous ships for defense applications.” 

Saronic CEO Dino Mavrookas commented: “A core principle of Saronic is that we design our vessels for autonomy from the keel up.

"We will take the same approach with Port Alpha, designing a shipyard from the ground up to produce at a speed and scale not seen since World War II. Port Alpha will reflect the apex of America’s shipbuilding past — generating new opportunities for the country’s shipbuilding workforce, forging public-private partnerships to accelerate growth, and bringing innovation and ingenuity to an essential industry.

“We will bring these elements together with a single goal: to rapidly build a fleet of autonomous vessels in America that redefine maritime superiority and guarantees freedom of the seas for generations to come.”

The firm claims Port Alpha “will focus on eliminating inefficiencies, optimizing workflows, and creating a production system that maximizes quality, scalability, and speed.”

• You can read more details on the Saronic website