Vigor and Saronic Partner Up on Ship Repair for Unmanned Vessels

On Monday, Vigor Marine Group announced that it will be marketing its construction and ship repair capabilities in a new segment: autonomous vessels. The yard has signed an agreement with unmanned vessel developer Saronic Technologies to create autonomous capabilities for defense and commercial customers. Vigor serves both, providing ship repair for merchant vessels, the Navy, Military Sealift Command and the Coast Guard (among many other customers).

In the announcement, Vigor highlighted its experience in small vessel fabrication, as well as its repair presence on the West and East Coasts for vessel sustainment. Saronic brings maritime autonomy and platform design experience, as well as expertise in high-rate production for rapid delivery at scale.

Together, the two partners will provide "full lifecycle" industrial and operational support for autonomous vessels in commercial and defense applications, and they will work together to market their joint capabilities.

“Combining Saronic’s technical leadership in autonomous maritime systems and scaled production with Vigor’s strategically located infrastructure and experience in maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) and lifecycle sustainment creates new opportunities to accelerate capability delivery," said Saronic CEO Dino Mavrookas.

The announcement follows shortly after Congress provided a massive infusion of funding for Navy autonomous vessel acquisition programs, both for small and midsize vessels.

Backed with $600 million in venture capital financing, Saronic recently bought aluminum boatbuilder Gulf Craft, and it will be using its yard to produce unmanned warships, starting with a 150-foot unmanned vessel design called the Maurader - marketed as a contender for the Navy's MUSV program, which now has $2.1 billion in funding for development and acquisition. Saronic has a long-term plan to build a "next-generation" greenfield shipyard, dubbed "Port Alpha," but the Gulf Craft site gives it room to build and deliver hulls immediately.