CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — National Maritime Day is Saturday, May 22 and the Port of Corpus Christi is celebrating the entire month.
The United States holiday was created to recognize the maritime industry and the role it played in moving the country forward. On May 22, 1819, the American steamship Savannah set sail from Savannah, Georgia on the first-ever transoceanic voyage under steam power. The holiday was created by the United States Congress on May 20, 1933 to pay tribute to that voyage.
Security Director Tom Mylett with the Port of Corpus Christi says the Port has turned the entire month of May into a celebration.
The men and women who serve the U.S. Merchant Marine industry will be celebrated Saturday by the Port of Corpus Christi, highlighting the vital contributions they make in facilitating global trade.
America’s seaports support more than 23 million American jobs, annually generate more than $321 billion in federal, state, and local taxes, account for over a quarter of the U.S. economy, and handle more than 2.2 billion metric tons of international and domestic cargo.
As the leading U.S. crude oil export port and a major economic engine of Texas and the nation, the Port of Corpus Christi is the 4th largest port in the United States in total tonnage.
