Saronic brings unmanned surface vessel testing facility to Gulfport

• The Mississippi Coast site will support testing and commissioning of the company’s 180 ft. autonomous ships as they move from production to final delivery.

Saronic announced Sunday that the company is expanding its operations, establishing an initial site for on-water testing of the company’s Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel (MUSV), Marauder, at the Port of Gulfport. 

According to the company, the Mississippi Coast site will support testing and commissioning of the company’s 180 ft. autonomous ships as they move from production to final delivery. The company’s facility will span more than 30,000 square feet and include dedicated port access, office space, and warehouse space that can support Saronic’s growing operations. 

Dino Mavrookas, Co-Founder and CEO of Saronic, said in a statement that “Gulfport has developed an incredible ecosystem of partners across industry, academia, and government to advance the future of maritime systems.”

“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,” Mavrookas said.

U.S. Senator Roger Wicker and representatives from Governor Tate Reeves, U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith and Congressman Mike Ezell’s offices were present Sunday for the announcement, along with leadership from the Port of Gulfport and University of Southern Mississippi.

“Thanks to innovators like Saronic, unmanned technology is advancing faster, ships are built more efficiently, and our warfighters are better equipped for the challenges ahead,” said Senator Wicker, who is the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. “This critical work is being done in the great state of Mississippi, where we continue to lead the way to strengthen our defense industrial base. As Chairman of the Armed Services Committee, we will continue to invest in our future, and we will not leave our military unprepared.”

Saronic highlighted it first Marauder, which was designed and launched in less than a year. The ship arrived at the Port of Gulfport in mid-July and is undergoing testing at the site. Additional Marauders are already under construction at Saronic’s shipyard in Franklin, Louisiana, and will follow the same path to Gulfport as production ramps.

“Mississippi continues to attract companies that are shaping the future of American industry, and Saronic’s expansion to Gulfport is another great example of that momentum,” said Governor Reeves. “Our state’s strong maritime assets, pro-business environment, and talented workforce make Mississippi the right place for companies developing the next generation of maritime technologies.”