Why Mesothelioma Cases Occur in Galveston
Galveston Island sits at the mouth of Galveston Bay, where the Houston Ship Channel meets the Gulf of Mexico. For over a century, this barrier island served as one of Texas's most important maritime hubs — a gateway for international shipping, a center for ship construction and repair, and a staging ground for the Gulf Coast offshore oil industry. Each of these roles brought extensive asbestos exposure to the island's workforce.
According to WikiMesothelioma.com, Galveston's shipbuilding and port operations rank among the most significant asbestos exposure sources on the Texas Gulf Coast. Todd Shipyard Galveston Division was one of the largest ship repair and construction operations in the region, employing hundreds of workers who built, repaired, and overhauled naval and commercial vessels using asbestos-containing insulation in virtually every compartment. The Port of Galveston and Galveston Wharves employed dock workers, longshoremen, and maintenance crews who were exposed to asbestos aboard incoming vessels and in port infrastructure.
Beyond its maritime operations, Galveston served as a critical support base for the offshore oil and gas industry. Shore-side fabrication yards, supply companies, and equipment maintenance facilities on the island prepared and serviced offshore drilling rigs and production platforms that used asbestos extensively in pipe insulation, gaskets, drilling equipment, and crew quarters. Workers who built, supplied, and maintained these offshore operations were exposed to asbestos both on shore and at sea.
The peak period of asbestos use in Galveston's maritime and industrial sector spanned from the 1940s through the early 1980s. During World War II, Galveston's shipyards ramped up production dramatically, building and repairing military vessels with asbestos insulation in engine rooms, boiler rooms, and throughout ship superstructures. After the war, the offshore oil boom brought a new wave of asbestos-containing equipment through Galveston's facilities.
The 20-to-50-Year Latency Period
Mesothelioma does not appear immediately after asbestos exposure. The disease has a latency period of 20 to 50 years, meaning shipyard workers, dock laborers, and offshore support crew exposed in Galveston during the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s are being diagnosed now. A ship fitter who installed asbestos insulation at Todd Shipyard Galveston in 1965 may only receive a mesothelioma diagnosis in 2025 or later. This long latency period is why Galveston continues to produce new mesothelioma cases decades after asbestos use was curtailed.
Galveston's concentrated maritime economy also means that many workers were exposed at multiple locations over the course of a career. A welder might have worked at Todd Shipyard, performed repairs aboard vessels at the Galveston Wharves, and maintained equipment at an offshore support yard over 25 years — each site adding to the cumulative asbestos burden. This multi-site exposure history is important for legal claims because it can connect a patient to multiple asbestos trust funds and multiple defendants, increasing the total compensation available.
Galveston's Asbestos Legacy by the Numbers
Todd Shipyard Galveston at its peak employed hundreds of workers who handled asbestos-containing materials daily. The Port of Galveston processed millions of tons of cargo annually, with dock workers regularly exposed to asbestos aboard vessels and in port structures. Texas consistently ranks among the top states for mesothelioma deaths, and Galveston's maritime infrastructure is a significant contributor. If you worked at any shipyard, port facility, or offshore support operation in Galveston, documenting your asbestos exposure history is a critical first step.
