The earliest civilizations to use ships to trade goods were the Egyptians and Mesopotamians, dating back to 3000 BCE. As throughout history, provisioning was the most significant aspect of operations to make sure the seafarers' well-being.
The Greeks and Romans later continued to use ships for trade and developed extensive trading networks throughout the Mediterranean. Unlike today, there were no plastics to cover goods; instead, they used amphorae; a type of container with a pointed bottom and a characteristic shape-filled with wine, olive oil, and grains. The Romans also had dedicated ships for supplying their fleet, called Navis Oneraria (cool ships really!).
In Medieval Europe, Viking ships were supplied for their voyages with dried fish, various meats, and fermented beverages as provisions. Fermented beverages were key in terms of their nutritional profile, which proved crucial against certain deadly deficiencies that will be mentioned later in this text.
During the Crusades, supply lines were established to carry provisions to the Holy Land to support the troops.
In the Age of Exploration, from the 15th to the 17th centuries, voyages by explorers like Vasco da Gama and Christopher Columbus required huge amounts of provisions for seafarers to survive those long journeys. However, during these voyages and later in the 18th century, there was a high mortality rate among seafarers due to a sickness called scurvy, which stems from a deficiency of vitamin C. As previously mentioned, Vikings were good in this regard, as they used fermented drinks rich in vitamin C as provisions. Of course, their voyages were much shorter than those of the 17th-century explorers, but it was still a good precaution, even if they probably did it unknowingly.
In the 18th century, James Cook was the first captain not to lose a single crew member to scurvy during his three voyages. He did not know exactly why, but he noticed that fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as sauerkraut, prevented scurvy. He ensured that fresh goods that lasted 3-4 weeks were supplied and placed utmost importance on hygiene and cleanliness on the ship.
It was James Lind who discovered the cause of scurvy. He ran an experiment dividing people with scurvy into two groups: one group ate lemons and oranges for a while and saw their symptoms fade within days, whereas the other group ate the typical seafarer's diet of the time and did not get any better. This was a turning point (tides have been turned, if you will) for seafarers and subsequently international trade.
The next big thing was the British Royal Navy designing a sophisticated supply chain solution, using ice blocks for refrigerated ships, pioneering the cold supply chain.During the World Wars, significant advancements took place in provisioning long voyages. Canned foods came into play, making provision supply more convenient than ever. According to some historians, the quality and proper management of the supply chain via ships changed the fate of the war.
Modern times have made ship supplying much easier. Marine vessels now have high-tech storage solutions, and suppliers have the proper technologies to store and deliver goods without compromising on ideal conditions. Additionally, crew members can now access not just standardized maritime products but also a variety of food items, which is a huge improvement considering it used to be only military-grade, tasteless but durable goods for consumption.
