When we interviewed Saronic Co-Founder and CEO Dino Mavrookas late last year, he insisted that Saronic's mission was to deliver commercially viable autonomous vessels first, and in turn parlay that into a ready package for defense. That vision comes to fruition as Saronic announced a partnership with Hornbeck Offshore Services, Inc.
Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG) completed and redelivered HOS Rocinante, a first-of-its-kind U.S.-flagged Service Operation Vessel (SOV) converted for Hornbeck Offshore Services.The vessel marks a milestone in the evolution of the U.S. offshore service fleet to be future-ready for both the offshore wind and petro-energy sector demands for broadly capable marine support vessels.
Facility will include 150,000 square feet of covered manufacturing space optimized for serial productionNew yard will support 200 new jobs and expands shipbuilding capacity Master Boat Builders announced plans to build a new $60 million, 150,000 sq ft manufacturing facility dedicated exclusively to government and defense shipbuilding programs.
As oil exploration and production goes, so goes the market for Offshore Service Vessels (OSVs) and Platform Supply Vessels (PSVs). Throughout 2025, the prices of oil- which drives exploration and production (E & P), have softened, moving down towards $60/barrel amidst economic uncertainty and a wider than anticipated opening of the taps by major oil producers.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy has announced that the Maritime Administration (MARAD) has awarded $8.75 million in grants to revitalize U.S. shipyards and advance America’s maritime dominance.The funding is part of the Small Shipyard Grant program, which supports advanced training, workforce development and new technologies that strengthen U.S. shipbuilding and repair capabilities.
The domestic passenger vessel answers the call for cleaner and more efficient platforms. It is truly an electric time to be a part of this niche industry.In the shadow of a rapidly changing political landscape, the domestic passenger ferry sector is nevertheless seeing an increasing number of newbuild vessel orders.
Breaux’s Bay Craft delivered its latest aluminum pilot vessel for the Houston Pilots. The first of two, M/V San Jacinto, is the newest addition to the fleet of high-performance pilot boats,designed for precision, built for strength, and finished with a striking red, white, and blue color scheme that reflects the Gulf Coast heritage of the Houston Pilots.
Expansion into Harbor Tug sector helps Master Boat Builders nearly double in size, from 200 to 400 employees building eight to nine vessels per year, and the prospect of a new drydock plus additional partnerships and government construction contracts promises to power the company forward further, faster.
Shipbuilding in the United States has seen a heightened profile with increased attention from Congress and the Trump 2.0 Administration. The ongoing dialogue regarding reinvigorating the U.S. deep sea fleet has brought mainstream attention to vessel construction, which has been nearly absent in recent years.
On May 15, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released its Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Work Plan that allocated funds from the FY25 Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act. That bill provided funding for the Corps’ Civil Works mission, typically funded in the annual Energy and Water Development appropriations bill.
HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division has awarded $95,600 in STEM grants to 22 local schools and educational organizations.The aim is to foster innovation and critical thinking among youth. The grants will support a variety of hands-on projects, classroom technology enhancements and STEM-focused curriculums.
Fairbanks Morse Defense (FMD) has secured a contract from Birdon to supply key fluid control components for the U.S. Coast Guard’s Waterways Commerce Cutter (WCC) program. The company will deliver motor-operated valves for the first two vessels.The WCC program is a major modernization effort to replace the Coast Guard’s decades-old fleet of inland buoy and construction tenders.