Port Alpha, a planned shipbuilding facility at the Port of Brownsville, is moving toward construction following its Sept. 30 groundbreaking ceremony, with officials projecting thousands of jobs and the first vessel expected by early 2028.
William Dietrich, Port of Brownsville director and CEO, said the project is in its early stages but could begin showing visible progress soon.
The initial site will cover 835 acres of a potential 4,200-acre development, Dietrich said. The land is currently used as a dredged material placement area, where sediment removed from the ship channel is deposited.
Port Alpha is being developed with Saronic Technologies to manufacture autonomous vessels for military and commercial purposes, according to port and city officials. The project is intended to support the U.S. Navy and commercial shipbuilding.
Brownsville Mayor John Cowen said the timeline is aggressive as the first vessel is expected to be built by the first quarter of 2028.
Port and city officials said the project could provide opportunities for students pursuing engineering and other technical careers at UTRGV and other colleges.
“Shipbuilding has a lot of different facets to it,” Dietrich said.
He said potential career opportunities include welding, steel manufacturing, pipe fitting, plumbing, electrical work, mechatronics and engineering.
Cowen said the project is expected to create 10,000 direct jobs and 10,000 indirect jobs over the next decade, with average salaries exceeding $100,000 a year.
“So, you’re talking about having a huge economic impact for our people here,” he said.
Cowen said the project will help the Brownsville economy and give residents more opportunities to work locally rather than leave the area for employment.
“Our job is to create a diversified economy,” he said. “In my opinion, I think we should have a very robust economy, everything from tourism to hospitality, but also to manufacturing, commercial development.”
Cowen said Brownsville has historically relied heavily on retail and government employment and Port Alpha could expand its manufacturing sector.
“Now that we have a shipbuilder that’s going to create 10,000 jobs, they’re going to hire 3,000 engineers,” Cowen said. “That’s an enormous opportunity for our kids that want to be engineers to come and build the next-generation ship here in Brownsville. They don’t have to leave. … We need to have a very balanced economy.”
Hermilio Hernandez Jr., a computer science junior, said Brownsville and the Rio Grande Valley is now being a hub for big corporations to take over with very little communication to the community.
“[Brownsville has] done this before with SpaceX with the 444 acres,” Hernandez said about the disannexed land in the MOU between City of Brownsville and SpaceX, as reported in the Sept. 28 issue of The Rider. “Large capital companies, promises are shared and then they get their gains and they just leave. … Like, they’re usually just using us.”
Uriel Gavito, a Brownsville resident and a digital content creator, said he is concerned about a company manufacturing AI-powered naval vessels establishing operations in the city.
“It’s not the type of industry that sits well with me,” Gavito said. “The AI industry right now is expanding and expansive as it takes over all industries … as well as tying that to the defense sector, the military [and] industrial complex seems like a very, like, just a nightmare fuel.”
Dietrich said residents should not be worried about the changes associated with the project, adding the port was established to drive economic development in the region.
“I think we all get anxious in life when we see change, and [being] anxious is good, but remember the Port of Brownsville was built … to become an economic development engine for the Rio Grande Valley,” he said. “ That’s what this land was. Our forefathers and sisters set this land up for this. This is what it’s for. And I’m proud to say that’s what we’re doing today and to be able to provide economic prosperity to our community is really the ultimate goal that the Port of Brownsville has.”
Residents with questions about Port Alpha can attend the Port of Brownsville’s regular board meetings, Dietrich said. Meetings are held at 5:30 p.m. on the first and third Wednesday of each month in the boardroom at 1000 Foust Road in Brownsville. The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday.
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