Legendary Maritime Trades: Focus on the Spice Trade
While the Silk Road initiated trade between the East and the West starting in the 4th Century BC, the first traces of spice trading, which the Romans loved so much, seem to appear as early as the 1st Century.
Over the centuries, and in response to wars and invasions, trade migrated from Land to Sea, a safer way to convey merchandises. The spice trade really grew only in the 14th Century, time of the Explorer Marco Polo, ensuring a faster and safer delivery of these valuable goods.
Nowadays, spices continue to cross the seas, and notably onboard of the CMA CGM vessels, claims CMA CGM Group.
The term “spices” appeared in 1150, replacing the Greek term 'aromates'. It is therefore during the Middle Age that the word emerged in our language, deriving from the Latin word “species”, which referred to all types of Special Goods.
At that time, for the western world, spices coming from distant countries were considered as rare goods and luxury.
Today, spices and their various benefits are part of our daily lives.
CMA CGM offers a high quality service carrying exported products worldwide, including between Asia and Europe using containers which preserve the freshness of any products, regardless of the external conditions.
At CMA CGM, the spice trade is headlined by the FAL (French Asia Line) service which links Asia to Europe. This major line allows, thanks to its weekly rotations, thousands of products to reach the European continent and other parts of the world.
One of the Group’s Giants of the Sea operates on this line: the CMA CGM Marco Polo, a vessel with a capacity of 16 000 TEUs, relaying Asia to Europe, a nice tribute to this famous explorer who initiated, in the 14th Century, the exchanges between China and the Occident.
This Giant of the Seas allows thousands of tons of all kinds of merchandises to be conveyed on a timely manner until their final destination and within the best conditions.
Between 2015 and 2016 CMA CGM has conveyed over 800,000 tons of spices from India, mostly to Saudi Arabia, Emirates, USA, UK, Libya and Germany. The most exported products from India are pepper, cumin and turmeric.
CMA CGM provides an optimal service to transport, safely and on time, these spices which flavor our meals.
