Saronic, Austin, Texas, has opened a facility at the Port of Gulfport, Miss., to test and commission its 180' Marauder medium unmanned surface vessels before delivery to defense and commercial customers.
The facility covers more than 30,000 sq. ft. and includes port access, office space and warehouse space. Mission operations and commissioning personnel will conduct end-of-line testing and on-water trials at the site.
Saronic’s first Marauder arrived in Gulfport in mid-July and has logged hundreds of testing hours, according to the company. Trials have been running more than 12 hours a day, seven days a week.
The vessel was designed and launched in less than a year. Additional Marauders are under construction at Saronic’s shipyard in Franklin, La., and are expected to undergo testing in Gulfport as production increases.
“Gulfport has developed an incredible ecosystem of partners across industry, academia, and government to advance the future of maritime systems,” said Dino Mavrookas, Saronic co-founder and CEO. “With a long legacy in shipbuilding, fabrication, and offshore operations, Gulfport is an ideal location to support the testing and commissioning of Marauder as we scale production and deliver autonomous ships to our defense and commercial partners.”
The Mississippi State Port Authority has partnered with the University of Southern Mississippi to establish the Roger F. Wicker Center for Ocean Enterprise at the port. The research center supports the development and testing of uncrewed maritime systems.
“The Roger F. Wicker Center for Ocean Enterprise was built to anchor the uncrewed maritime industry on the Gulf Coast, and Saronic’s decision to test and commission Marauder at Gulfport is the strongest signal yet that the strategy is working,” said Jon Nass, CEO of the Port of Gulfport. “We’re proud that vessels strengthening America’s security are being proven on this waterfront, and we are ready and excited to grow with Saronic as production scales.”
Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, joined Saronic and port officials at an event marking the expansion. Representatives from the offices of Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., and Rep. Mike Ezell, R-Miss., also attended.
