Rome also depended upon the shipping industry for its food supply. With a population of about one million, Rome had huge grain requirements​—somewhere between 250,000 and 400,000 tons a year. Where did all that grain come from? Flavius Josephus quotes Herod Agrippa II as remarking that North Africa fed Rome for eight months of the year, while Egypt sent enough grain to support the city for the other four. Thousands of seagoing vessels were involved in supplying grain to that city.

What can be said of the ship that was wrecked at Malta with Paul on board? It was a grain ship, “a boat from Alexandria that was sailing for Italy.” (Acts 27:6, footnote) The grain fleets were privately owned by Greeks, Phoenicians, and Syrians, who commanded and equipped them. However, the ships were hired by the State. “As in the collection of taxes,” says historian William M. Ramsay, “the government found it easier to give out the work to contract than to organize for itself the enormous machinery in men and equipment needed for that great service.”