Short answers, pulled from the story.
The first cargo ship to cross the Atlantic with a full load of grain arrived in London on the 1st of January 1838. This vessel was the SS Great Western, a wooden-hulled steamship that demonstrated the potential of steam propulsion to reduce dependence on weather patterns.
The Spanish crown organized the Flota de Indias in the 1560s to safeguard treasure and goods from the Americas while carrying European manufactures in return. These fleets sailed from Seville to ports such as Veracruz and Portobelo, regrouping at Havana for the return voyage to Spain.
The introduction of the screw propeller from the late 1830s improved efficiency, seaworthiness, and cargo capacity, allowing iron and later steel hulls to become standard for ocean-going cargo steamers. By the mid-19th century, the Aaron Manby, the first iron-hulled steamship to go to sea, demonstrated the potential of metal construction for strength and durability.
The rise of containerization in the 1950s marked the next major shift in cargo shipping, transforming the industry from a fragmented system of break-bulk cargo to a standardized, efficient network. The container ship became the workhorse of global commerce, carrying the majority of global freight by volume.
Piracy is still quite common in some waters, particularly in the Malacca Straits, a narrow channel between Indonesia and Singapore, and Malaysia. The waters off Somalia and Nigeria are also prone to piracy, while smaller vessels are also in danger along parts of the South American coasts, Southeast Asian coasts, and near the Caribbean Sea.
The Ever Given is a ship that was lodged into the Suez Canal from March 25 to 28 2021, which caused a halt on maritime trade. This incident highlighted the fragility of global supply chains and the importance of safety and regulation in the modern era.