Requiring goods to pass through English ports increased demand for wharves, handling capacity, and places able to receive ocean-going ships. That traffic encouraged private investment in facilities that could also load and support warships, reducing the infrastructure bill borne directly by government. It made trade more legible as well: without modern tracking systems, port calls and paperwork gave customs officers opportunities to check compliance. Missing documentation could expose a ship to impoundment, though the system still depended on officials resisting bribery.
Chapter · 33:38-36:10
Transshipment, ports, and customs control
The 1663 transshipment requirement encouraged port capacity, created checkpoints for customs documentation, and tightened imperial control of trade.