JE Dunn and Alberici Break Ground on $3.2 Billion Texas Shipyard

Industry Pulse News Desk · 2026-10-12

A joint venture between JE Dunn and Alberici has started construction on a $3.2 billion military shipyard in Texas for defense contractor Saronic.

A joint venture formed by general contractors JE Dunn and Alberici has broken ground on a $3.2 billion shipyard project in Texas for defense contractor Saronic. The greenfield facility represents the first entirely new shipyard constructed in the United States since World War II.

Located along the Texas coast, the expansive industrial development is designed to support the mass production of autonomous surface vessels and advanced maritime defense hardware. The site will feature heavy-lift dock infrastructure, automated vessel assembly bays, specialized fabrication shops, and direct water access for testing and deployment.

The project aims to modernize domestic shipbuilding capacity and meet rising demand for defense technology. By building a facility from the ground up, the project team can integrate modern manufacturing techniques and robotic assembly systems that legacy shipyards often struggle to accommodate.

Construction activities will generate thousands of skilled trades jobs and engineering positions throughout the multi-year building process. Once completed, the installation will support long-term operational roles in autonomous technology integration, naval architecture, and heavy manufacturing.

Heavy civil engineering and site preparation work are currently underway. The joint venture will manage all design-build coordination, structural construction, and infrastructure integration as the project moves toward its initial operational phases.