JE Dunn-Alberici Joint Venture Begins Construction on $3.2 Billion Texas Shipyard

A significant industrial development is underway at the Port of Brownsville, Texas, as a joint venture between JE Dunn and Alberici has broken ground on Saronic’s Port Alpha. This over $3.2 billion shipyard project is set to become the first greenfield shipyard constructed in the United States since World War II. The facility will be dedicated to manufacturing manned, autonomy-capable, and autonomous ships for military contractor Saronic.

The initial phase of the shipyard will span 835 acres, with an option for Saronic to expand the site to nearly 4,400 acres. The project is structured in three overlapping phases, beginning with site preparation, infrastructure development, and then moving into the construction of assembly buildings and material-handling systems. The progressive design-build delivery method, involving design partners Stantec and KPFF, allows for concurrent design, procurement, and construction, optimizing the development timeline. This approach enables the team to advance certain work packages while other requirements are finalized, ensuring continuous progress on the large-scale manufacturing facility.