Port to Kick Off 200th Anniversary Celebration on Maritime Day

By Rodger Rees, Galveston Wharves Port Director and CEO

It's fitting that the Port of Galveston will kick off its 200^th anniversary celebrations on National Maritime Day in May when we honor the contributions of the maritime industry, and in particular merchant marines, to strengthen the U.S. economy and secure our nation.

Congress declared May 22 as National Maritime Day in 1933. The Galveston Wharves at the Port of Galveston has commemorated National Maritime Day with an annual public event for more than 25 years to recognize all who work in the industry.

The maritime industry supports a wide range of businesses and jobs, including ship pilots, ship crews, barge and tugboat crews, union workers, shipping stevedores, onshore cruise staff, truck drivers, railroad workers, construction workers, administrative staffs and many more.

The port is a major U.S. cargo port and the fourth busiest cruise port in the U.S. thanks to the dedication and hard work of those who crew the vessels that sail from the port and the thousands of workers who support the maritime industry.

This year's event, hosted by presenting sponsor Wallenius Wilhelmsen, will be our biggest yet. We'll have vessel tours, informational booths and our annual ceremony to commemorate and honor all who work or have worked in the industry.

The event is free and open to the public, so mark your calendars for 9 a.m.-noon Thursday, May 22, at Pier 21.

More Celebrations to Come

Thanks to the generous support of our 200^th anniversary sponsors, we have several activities planned to spotlight the port's history, as well as the contributions of the port and its port partners to economic growth. Net proceeds from Maritime Day and the events below will fund maritime scholarships.

• Friday, Oct. 17 - Party on the Pier public event with bands and a drone show at Pier 21
• Saturday, Oct. 18 - Gala dinner and dancing at Galveston Island Convention Center
• October - Port history book released

The Party on the Pier will be a free public event with live music, family activities, a Jean Lafitte lookalike contest and a narrated drone show spotlighting the port's history and our 200^th anniversary sponsors. The gala will be a night of dinner, dancing and celebration. Tickets will go on sale this summer.

The hardcover history book will be filled with historical photos and text to tell the port's fascinating history. It's a tale of pirates, naval battles, riches, and resilience.

The Port of Gaveston was established by a proclamation issued by the Congress of Mexico on October 17, 1825, while the land known as Texas belonged to Mexico. The port has operated as the Galveston Wharves since 1940, when it became a city entity.

Today, the 840-acre port is a thriving commercial center with infrastructure and assets to serve growing cruise, cargo and commercial businesses. The port is the fourth most popular cruise home port in the U.S., hosting five major cruise lines and moving more than 3.4 million cruise passengers a year.

The port also leases and maintains a wide range of cargo facilities on the deep-water Galveston Harbor, which is ranked among the top 40 busiest U.S. cargo waterways.

Visit the port's bicentennial website, www.portofgalveston200.com, for more information about bicentennial events and port history.