BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Soon after Gov. Greg Abbott held a press conference in Austin to announce major manufacturing investment by Saronic Technologies, Brownsville Navigation District did the same.
Saronic was founded in 2022 and specializes in unmanned maritime vehicles. CEO Dino Mavrookas was with Gov. Abbott at the company’s headquarters. He announced a $3.2 billion investment at the Port of Brownsville for its next generation Port Alpha shipyard. The project is focused on the production of autonomous surface vessels for defense and commercial applications.
Here are the remarks made at the BND press conference:
Jorge I. Montero, director of commnunications for BND:
"Today we come together to discuss an historic announcement. Governor Greg Abbott has confirmed Saronic Technologies’ selection of the Port of Brownsville as the site for its Port Alpha shipyard project. This project represents one of the largest economic development projects in the history of the Rio Grande Valley and state of Texas. So, following this, you will hear directly from our esteemed Commission, as well as our Port Director and CEO, on what this project means for the Port of Brownsville and the State of Texas."
William Dietrich, Port Director
"Thank you, Jorge. Thank you, everybody, for being here today. Good afternoon, everyone, and thank for being here today at the Port of Brownsville.
"This is a historic day for the Port of Brownsville and the Rio Grande Valley and the state of Texas. I'm very honored to welcome Saronic Technologies to the Port of Brownsville. Today we announce the largest economic development project inrecent Texas history. Put that in perspective: the largest economic development project in recent history here in the state of Texas. This investment will create thousands of high-paying jobs, generate billions of dollars of economic activity, and position the Port of Brownsville as the leader in America's shipbuilding future. Projects like this don't happen overnight. They require vision, trust, and strong partnerships.
"First, I would like to thank Mr. Dino Mavrookas and the entire Saronic team. Thank you for believing in Brownsville and for believing in our port and choosing this community to build your future. I want to also recognize the Brownsville Navigation District board of commissioners. Their leadership, their commitment, and their unwavering support made this project possible. I'm privileged to work beside alongside a commission that believes in creating opportunities, growing our economy, and investing in the future of our community.
"Today's announcement is about more than building ships. It's about building careers, strengthening our local economy, supporting American manufacturing, and ensuring that the Port of Brownsville will continue to serve as an engine of economic opportunity for generations to come.
"To everybody who helped make this possible today, thank you. And Saronic Technologies, thank you and welcome to the Port of Brownsville. Welcome to the Rio Grande Valley, and we're excited to build the future together. Thank you."
Sergio Tito Lopez, Chairman
"Good afternoon, and on behalf of the Port of Brownsville, we are proud to announce that Saronic Technologies has selected us for its Port Alpha shipyard. It is a $3.2 billion next generation shipyard. This is a defining milestone for the Port of Brownsville and the Rio Grande Valley. As only the deepwater sea port on the US-Mexico border, our port has long been a strategic center for industry, trade, and shipbuilding. Today, we begin a new chapter as we welcome the advanced maritime innovation company Saronic to our region. This investment represents a new era of American shipbuilding, strengthening our nation's maritime capabilities while creating thousands of opportunities for the skilled working families of South Texas. I want to personally thank Governor Greg Abbott for his leadership and support in helping secure this transformative project for Texas. This achievement was made possible through strong regional collaboration. I am very grateful to Cameron County, the Greater Brownsville Economic Development Corporation, and the Point Isabel School District, for their partnership and shared commitment to the region. To the Saronic team, welcome to the Port of Brownsville. We look forward to building the future of America’s maritime industry together. Thank you."
Ernesto Gutierrez, Vice Chairman
"Thank you all for joining us this morning. I cannot underscore enough the careful groundwork laid by our Brownsville Navigation District board and commission and our port leadership to reach this landmark partnership with Saronic - the impact of which will extend beyond the Rio Grande Valley to every corner of the world. Creating strong career opportunities for local families is a defining mission of the Port of Brownsville, and this development delivers on that mission. As its operations expand in phases, Saronic anticipates creating more than 10,000 permanent jobs, delivering significant long-term opportunities for our workforce. We're proud to welcome Saronic to Brownsville and look forward to building a partnership that will strengthen our community, create lasting opportunity for our workforce, and advance the future of American shipbuilding."
John Reed, Secretary
"Good afternoon. What a great day to be in Brownsville and the Port of Brownsville. It is an exciting time for all of us, for all the region. Today represents another defining moment in Port of Brownsville’s continued growth. Saronic's decision to establish its operations here is testament to the strategic advantages our port offers. That is: available industrial land, multimodal transportation, a skilled workforce, and direct access to domestic and international markets. This is important, as is the Brownsville Navigation District's proven ability to work laterally with industry on projects from concept to reality, to successfully close transformational economic development deals. These are the strengths the Brownsville Navigation District has worked diligently to build over many years. This partnership will further solidify the Port of Brownsville's importance to the nation's defense by expanding America’s maritime industrial base and advance the next generation of shipbuilding. At the same time it will create new opportunities for innovation, investment, and economic growth here at home. We are proud to welcome Saronic to Brownsville and look forward to the work ahead."
David A. Garcia, Commissioner
"Thank you, Commissioner Reed, and thank you, Commissioners. Projects like these move the needle and transcend us to new heights. So I'm thankful to my colleagues that are here before us as we continue our progress at the port, On a point of personal privilege. coming from a military family, this is a project that has a deep and profound meaning to me. So, we congratulate Saronic on their achievements.
"The Port of Brownsville is no stranger to shipbuilding. Shipbuilding is part of our DNA. For more than 30 years, this port has been home to one of the nation's premier shipbuilding and offshore manufacturing industry. From Marathon in the 1970s, AmFel, Seatrium, and today, Karpowership, the Port of Brownsville has continuously evolved to meet the changing needs of America's maritime economy. Now we are entering the next chapter of that legacy. What was once driven by traditional shipbuilding is now being propelled by advanced manufacturing, autonomous technology, and innovation. Saronic's decision to build here is a powerful affirmation of the foundation we have built over the past five decades, and continues to position the Port of Brownsville at the forefront of the nation's maritime industry. Saronic's investment reinforces the Port of Brownsville's reputation as a place where world-class companies can innovate, build, and grow. We are proud to welcome them and look forward to the opportunities this partnership will create for our community."
Luis H. Villarreal, Commissioner
"First of all, I want to thank our staff. I want to say I just got here, so all this work was done before my tenure. So thank you all for the hard work you've done. This takes a village and you guys delivered it. I want to thank (Past) Chairman Steve Guerra, our future (County) Judge, for his great leadership to make this happen.
I want to say that as we grow as a region, we need to remember that as these big companies are building these large infrastructure projects here, our road infrastructure is still behind. So I want to ask our federal partners and state partners to remember that we need to get to those facilities, and to do that we need those roads, we need the infrastructure, we need that water, we need that power. It's great business is coming here, but infrastructure-wise, it's going to put strain, and we need to be ready for more growth. And if we're going to do that, we need substantially more money outside the port gate and inside the port gate.
"You see our roads? Our roads are in good condition but as more industry comes in, our roads are going to deteriorate. And as much as we want to keep it here, as we get international attention and international businesses, we probably wouldn't be able to keep up. So we want to make sure that all partners across all industries help us maintain the support because we want to continue growing and be better. So thank you all for your hard work in making this happen."
