Davie Defense has broken ground on a modernization of Gulf Copper shipyards in Galveston and Port Arthur, Texas. The investment could reach $1 billion and will prepare the facilities to build Arctic Security Cutters for the U.S. Coast Guard. The project marks the return of complex shipbuilding to Texas after several decades.
The company acquired Gulf Copper and its assets in December 2025. It is now upgrading shipyard infrastructure and production facilities at both locations. The work will expand the yards’ capacity to support large-scale vessel construction and future maritime defense programs.
The first phase of the modernization is scheduled for completion in 2028. That timeline aligns with the start of cutter construction in Texas. Davie Defense plans to build the first two Arctic Security Cutters at its affiliated Helsinki Shipyard in Finland, with delivery of the first vessel expected in 2028.
The Texas facilities will eventually construct three Arctic Security Cutters for the Coast Guard. The project is expected to create about 2,400 direct jobs and support up to 7,000 jobs statewide through supply chain activity and related economic impacts.