BROWNSVILLE, Texas – The U.S. Navy has awarded Saronic a contract to build Landing Craft Utility vessels at the company’s planned Port Alpha shipyard at the Port of Brownsville, the company said.
The vessels are designed to move troops, vehicles and cargo from ships offshore to beaches or other unimproved shorelines without requiring a port or pier. Saronic said the craft can carry up to 170 tons of cargo and travel about 1,200 nautical miles.
The contract would make the landing craft among the first vessels produced at Port Alpha, a shipyard project announced in July. Saronic has said construction has begun and that it is targeting initial operations in 2028, with initial deliveries beginning in 2029.
The award is part of the Navy and Marine Corps’ effort to replace aging landing craft and expand domestic shipbuilding capacity. The company did not announce a contract value in the information released about the award.
Sources: KRGV; Saronic Technologies
