The evolution of maritime activities has been a continuous journey of human exploration, trade, and naval warfare over millennia. Beginning with primitive craft, the development of sails and navigation techniques allowed for seafaring civilisations to expand their influence and trade networks. The Age of Exploration in the 15th and 16th centuries opened new oceanic routes, global trade connections and the colonisation of distant lands. The subsequent centuries saw the rise of powerful naval fleets and the establishment of maritime empires.