Brief history of maritime network establishment

Maritime transportation has always been the dominant support of global trade. By 1,200 BC, Egyptian ships traded as far as Sumatra, representing one of the longest maritime routes of that time. By the 10th century, Chinese merchants frequented the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean, establishing regional trade networks. During the same period, maritime trade routes between the Middle East and Asia were established, mainly under the control of Arab merchants. In the early 15th century, Admiral Zheng He led a large Chinese fleet of more than 300 vessels manned by a crew of 28,000 to conduct seven major expeditions, one of which reached the East African coast.

However, for other nations, the projection of maritime power became of vital importance. European colonial powers, mainly Spain, Portugal, England, the Netherlands, and France, were the first to establish a dependable global maritime trade network in the 16th century. Most maritime shipping activities focused around the Mediterranean, the northern Indian Ocean, Pacific Asia, and the North Atlantic, including the Caribbean.

Poll

What was the primary motivation for establishing maritime networks throughout history?

• Military expansion

• Access to trade commodities

• Cultural exchange

• Territorial exploration

Thus, access to trade commodities remains historically and contemporarily the main driver in the setting of maritime networks.