Number of Portuguese ships trading with Asia 1500-1635| ��ƽ��

Total number of Portuguese ships moving between Lisbon and various regions in Asia in selected periods between 1500 to 1635

Characteristic	Departures from Lisbon to Indian Ocean	Arrivals in the Orient	Departures from India and Malacca	Arrivals in Lisbon
1500-1549	451	403	262	243
1550-1599	254	217	212	170
1600-1635	207	152	95	74

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Release date

2006

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Region

India, Malaysia, Portugal

Survey time period

1500 to 1635

Supplementary notes

*Additional figures for Departures from Lisbon to Indian Ocean show that 164 ships departed in the period 1636-1700, and 196 ships departed in the period 1701-1800.

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In the first 135 years of Portuguese sea trade with Asia, there were over 900 ship departures from Lisbon to Asia, but fewer than 500 Portuguese arrivals in Lisbon at the end of these journeys. A large share of this difference is due to losses at sea (both through weather and combat), although many of these ships remained overseas in order to protect Portuguese interests, or facilitate trade between the various regions of Asia.

When this trade went uninterrupted, the average duration of journeys from Lisbon to Cochin (present-day Kochi, southwest India) took 5.75 months, and return journeys took 6.5 months. Additionally, ships were also built larger over time to maximize carrying capacity and durability, and average carrying capacities rose from around 300 tons in the 1500s, to 1,000 tons in the 1600s*. The increased carrying capacity also meant that trade levels could be maintained despite the average annual number of journeys decreasing.