California just lost a $3.2 billion shipyard project and the 10,000 jobs that came with it. Instead, the project is going to Texas.
Saronic Technologies, an Austin-based company that builds autonomous vessels, spent more than a year considering Solano County for its new Port Alpha shipyard. This week, the company announced it will build the facility in Brownsville, Texas.
Now, California officials and project supporters are blaming each other for the lost deal.
Saronic confirmed its decision on Thursday. According to a news release from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, the new shipyard could create up to 10,000 direct jobs over the next 10 years.
The 835-acre site is located at the Port of Brownsville. The port is home to most of the country’s shipbreaking industry. Cameron County helped secure the project by offering Saronic a tax break.
California’s proposal was called the Solano Shipyard. It was connected to California Forever, the billionaire-backed plan to build a new city near Collinsville.
According to ABC7 San Francisco, supporters of California Forever blamed State Sen. Christopher Cabaldon. They said he questioned the project and did not meet with Saronic leaders.
Cabaldon’s office denied that claim. The office said California Forever linked the shipyard to its larger housing project. It argued that this is what cost Solano County the deal.
Cabaldon has also publicly questioned the project. According to CalMatters, he called the idea of building new housing for jobs that did not yet exist “fantastical.”
Earlier, Solano County officials dismissed California Forever’s shipyard plan as a “nothingburger,” according to KQED.
Time also worked against the project. According to CalMatters, county supervisors rushed a proposal to change the Solano Shipyard’s boundaries. But there were only a few days left in the legislative session. Per the outlet, Assemblymember Lori Wilson said there was not enough time to pass the needed legislation.
Internet Reacts to California’s Lost Shipyard Deal
The announcement sparked debate online, with some blaming state officials directly while others focused on the economic and political fallout.
One commenter argued the outcome reflects poorly on state leadership: “Now we have neither houses nor jobs. That’s California Democrats showing us how they help us. Thank you very much.”
Another framed it as a case of self-inflicted dysfunction: “So fraud and corruption prevented more fraud and corruption? In California!? The snake is eating itself.” A third took a lighter jab at the situation: “So they swapped sunshine for steaks, hope the new port ships more than just ego.”
Some reactions pivoted to broader concerns about the labor force: “Texas is about to import a whole bunch of new H1B visas.” Others focused on the future of the jobs themselves: “More billionaire moves to destroy working class jobs. Sorry dock workers, the bots are here!”
According to ABC7, Solano County is also dealing with the planned closure of Valero’s Benicia refinery and the shutdown of Anheuser-Busch’s Fairfield brewery. Those closures are expected to eliminate more than 500 jobs.
