Celebrating Texas ports on National Maritime Day
May 22, 2026
By Cynthia Vaquera
Austin — On National Maritime Day, TxDOT honors the industry that connects Texas to the world.
Texas leads the nation in exports, waterborne cargo and maritime tonnage with 23 ports along its coastline, handling nearly 750 million tons annually. Houston, Corpus Christi and Beaumont rank among the nation’s top five ports by tonnage.
“Texas ports are extremely important to economic vitality,” said Larry Kelley, director of the Port of Port Arthur. “We know that we’re touching the lives of everyone in the state. About one in four dollars in the state’s GDP somehow flows through a port area.”
And it's not just cargo. The Port of Galveston moves nearly 4 million passengers each year and is considered the country’s 4th most popular cruise home port.
“We have people everywhere on cruise day,” said Rodger Rees, director at the Port of Galveston.
“We are moving 60,000 people on any three-ship day, so we have to be very conscientious about safety,”
Texas ports generate more than $700 billion in economic activity and account for 28% of the state's gross domestic product (GDP), making Texas the eighth largest economy in the world.
“Most of the product that comes through the Port of Corpus Christi is actually exported out of our state by state good that are moved outside of the US, contributing to the US GDP,” said Leslie Ruta, Director of Planning - Port of Corpus Christi.
The Texas Ports Association’s 2024 report states that the maritime industry supports 2.5 million jobs and contributes more than $17 billion in state and local taxes annually.
TxDOT and the state support these ports through three maritime funding programs. These help improve access, safety and relieve congestion in communities surrounding Texas ports; support port infrastructure and development; and widen/deepen federally authorized ship channels.
Each port along the Texas coast is part of a bustling maritime system that bolsters the state’s economy and advances Texas’ role in global trade.
“We understand the significance of the investment in Texas,” Kelley said “We also understand what the return is for: for Texas, for the economy and the citizens of Texas. Texas ports are extremely important to the economic vitality. And we want to do our level best to help support that.”
Texas ports are more than just infrastructure. They are the backbone of an economy that touches the lives of every Texan. And behind every port, every highway and every mode of transportation, TxDOT is connecting you with Texas.