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Business View Magazine
industry. The Port of Galveston generates annual operat-
ing revenues of approximately $32 million and provides
more than $3.1 billion annually in economic impact to
the State of Texas.
Mike Mierzwa is the Port of Galveston’s Port Director,
responsible for the proper administration of all its func-
tions. He describes the Port’s official, operating status as
well as its current businessmodel: “The Port of Galveston
is what is considered an ‘enterprise utility’ of the City of
Galveston. There is a Board of Trustees of the Galveston
Wharves, comprised of seven individuals, six of whom
are appointed by the City Council. One member is an ex-
officio member of the Board who is either a member of
the City Council or the Mayor. The oversight and manage-
ment of the Port is left to the Board of Trustees. We’re a
landlord port that derives its revenues from ‘dockage,’
which is what we charge ships to tie up at our docks, and
something called ‘wharfage,’ which are the charges that
we charge different entities for moving cargo, both im-
