Historical accounts referred to Mariveles as the refilling stop for merchant ships before coming into Manila Bay. The Chinese pirate Li Ma Hong was recorded to have briefly stopped in Camaya (former name of Mariveles) for fresh water and supplies before proceeding to attack Manila.

Ships arriving from foreign or Philippine infected ports were quarantined off Mariveles, under Spanish regulations. During the great cholera epidemic of 1882, a Lazaretto was established here. The first Spanish missionary who attempted to domesticate the natives of the Mariveles coast was stoned by them, and died in Manila as a consequence. An insubordinate Archbishop was once banished to Mariveles. Through the narrow channel between this port and Corregidor Island, known as Boca Chica, came swarms of Asiatic trading junks, every spring for over two centuries. Forming the extreme point of Manila Bay, here was naturally the watch guard for the safety of the capital. It was the point whence could be decried the movements of foreign enemies - Dutch, British, Mahometan, chinese, etc.; it was the last refuge for ships about to venture from the Islands to foreign parts.

Mariveles was invaded by the Dutch in 1600 and 1609. Witnessed the surrender of Major Manuel L. Quezon in 1901, Gen. Artemio Ricarte in 1904 and Major Gen. Edward P. King Jr. in 1942. Starting point of the Death March on April 1942.

Present

Mariveles is now a first class municipality in terms of its income, accredited mostly to big establishments exiting in the municipality; consequently, they also have a high employment rate. Mostly engineers, skilled and unskilled laborers, technical men from the province and other towns and cities.

Mariveles at present is a far cry from the role it played from the pre-Spanish and pre-war days. It now hosts the country's first economic zone, first petrochemical industrial estate and plastic city (a petrochemical down stream industrial zone specializing in polyethylene sheets), a grain handling terminal (ATI-SMC) and an integrated footwear manufacturing plants based in the zone. The town is now a conurbation of different Filipino and foreign cultures as local migrants flock to the municipality for job and livelihood opportunities. Foreign expatriates associated with export manufacturing firms have also established their residence in Mariveles.