(The Center Square) – Saronic Technologies is expanding its autonomous surface vessels shipyard in Franklin, Louisiana, where the company plans to hire 1,500 workers to staff a facility that manufactures maritime drones capable of traveling waters autonomously.
Austin, Texas-based Saronic bought the Gulf Craft shipyard in St. Mary Parish in April and months later laid the keel on an autonomously operated 150-foot vessel with a payload capacity of 40 metric tons.
The “Marauder,” the vessel to be manufactured at the site, will support a wide range of missions for the U.S., its allies and commercial customers, Saronic said in a statement. The unmanned ship is designed to travel up to 3,500 nautical miles or loiter for 30 days or more, depending on mission requirements.
When Saronic acquired the shipyard, it retained the existing workforce of 35 employees, which has since grown to more than 100. The approximately 1,500 new jobs created will pay an average annual salary of about $88,000, the company said. Louisiana Economic Development estimates a total of 3,270 jobs will be created in the south central Louisiana region.
Saronic said it will add more than 300,000 square feet at the shipyard, which includes building three new slips, a larger warehouse and a new production line dedicated to large-vessel assembly. The company said it is spending about $300 million on the project.
Saronic expects construction work will be completed by the end of 2026.
The company received a $2 million performance-based grant from the state for the expansion, along with $3 million from the Economic Development Award Program, according to a news release from the Louisiana Economic Development.
