 In particular, by taking over most of Portugal's trading posts in the East Indies, the Dutch gained control over the hugely profitable trade in spices.This coincided with the enormous growth of the Dutch merchant fleet, made possible by the cheap mass production of the fluyt sailing ship types.Soon the Dutch had Europe's largest mercantile fleet, with more merchant ships than all other nations combined, and possessed a dominant position in European (especially Baltic) trade, as well as further afield.