[Under construction]

Many small ships were owned by individuals. The largest ships often were often by cities or sovereigns, while many medium-sized ships would be owned by partners with a designated ship master to operate the vessel.

Fleets of many sizes, including 100 or more ships by some of the urban leagues, reduced the risks from pirates or privateers.

Many ports were particularly known for a specialized product (e.g., a herring-producing port, a salt-producing port) because the specialization could reduce input costs (transportation, etc.). But a large port would trade in many, many commodities and products.