US autonomous surface vessel developer Saronic has partnered with South Korea’s Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) to accelerate the development of autonomy-capable maritime systems.
The companies unveiled the partnership at the launch of the Korea–US Shipbuilding Partnership Center (KUSPC) in Washington, D.C., a new organization designed to deepen shipbuilding cooperation between the two allied nations.
Through this partnership, the companies will harness technology and expertise to build the maritime industrial capacity and workforce needed to deliver on American and allied shipbuilding needs.
The partnership also brings together the companies’ complementary strengths to deliver technologically advanced autonomous vessels for both government and commercial customers.
The companies will explore advanced development of autonomy and AI-powered digital solutions, and will encompass collaboration on production infrastructure, including robotics-based process automation across Saronic’s shipyards. They will also work on the development and production of next-generation maritime platforms.
“Rebuilding America’s maritime strength requires both world-class technology and the industrial muscle to produce it at scale here at home,” said Dino Mavrookas , Co-Founder and CEO of Saronic.
“We are proud to partner with SHI, bringing together Saronic’s maritime autonomy and next-generation manufacturing with Samsung’s storied shipbuilding and technology pedigree. Together, we will focus on accelerating the reindustrialization of American shipbuilding, training the workforce of the future, and delivering differentiated, autonomy-capable vessels for both government and commercial applications.”
“We are pleased to establish this partnership with Saronic,” said Sung An Choi , Vice Chairman and CEO of Samsung Heavy Industries.
“By combining Saronic’s expertise in maritime autonomy with our expertise in shipbuilding, including production automation, we look forward to working together to create a more competitive future.”
The partnership builds on Saronic’s rapidly growing US shipbuilding ecosystem. The company recently announced that Port Alpha, its multi-billion-dollar, next-generation shipyard, will be built in Brownsville, Texas.
Further, it is investing an additional $300 million to expand capacity at its shipyard in Franklin, Louisiana.