Final answer:
The first sea-going steamship commissioned was the SS Savannah in 1819, marking a seminal moment in maritime history and drastically changing commerce and transport.
Step-by-step explanation:
The first steamship commissioned for sea service was SS Savannah in 1819. Steamships significantly changed long-distance commerce and transport by providing a reliable and faster means for moving goods and passengers across bodies of water.
Although Robert Fulton developed the first successful commercial steamboat, the Clermont, in 1807 for river use, the SS Savannah marked the transition to ocean-going steam-powered vessels. It is worth noting that while many steamboats were operating on rivers and contributing to economic growth, especially in the United States, the first transatlantic steamship crossing did not occur until 1838, a testament to the technological progress and booming economic investment in steamships at the time.