The trade of goods and the migration of labour were important factors in the economic growth of virtually every economy in the world, in particular of the West. Trade enables individuals, villages and cities, regions, countries and even continents to specialize in producing and exporting those services and goods that yield the highest profits and to import those produced cheaper elsewhere. Thus the rivers, canals, seas and oceans constituted an important stimulus for economic growth as the transportation of goods and people over water was not only safer than over land, but at the same time could be much more voluminous. During early modern times and until the arrival of rail transportation, the trade in bulk products would have been impossible without ships. Shipping enabled the creation of a world market with only two obstacles: transport costs, and national protective legislation. Two examples suffice to demonstrate this point.

Transport costs were an important factor in the creation of two separate circuits for the production and consumption of sugar. During the 16th century, the production of sugar cane became a near monopoly of the Portuguese colony of Brazil, while the refinement and consumption of Brazilian raw sugar spread to many countries in Europe.