December 5, 2025 – Saronic Technologies plans to make Louisiana a maritime hub for autonomous surface vessels with a $300 million expansion at its St. Mary Parish shipyard in Franklin, creating 1,500 new jobs in what’s known as the state’s Bayou Region.
The company builds drone ships designed for both commercial and national defense missions on the sea, among them the 150-foot Marauder vessels being built in St. Mary.