Cochin has held the centre-stage in the history of Kerala since the beginning of its maritime trade with the world. The historic landing of the Portuguese navigator, Vasco de Gama, near Calicut in 1498, and his arrival at Cochin in 1500, heralded organised trade in Kerala. Another Portuguese explorer, Pedro Alvarez Cabral, who followed Vasco de Gama, shipped the first consignment from Cochin to Europe. Afonso de Albuquerque was the third in the Portuguese exodus to Kerala. Enter Aspinwall In 1863, John H Aspinwall was inducted as a partner into Scott Brothers. He acquired the business of Scott Brothers in 1867, and launched Aspinwall & Company, offering a range of shipping services, besides carrying on business in timber, spices and several other agro products. The Aspinwall era had begun. The illustrious J.H Aspinwall expired in 1884, leaving the fortunes of his company in the capable hands of his partner, W.N. Black. Subsequently, E.H. Black also joined the firm. The Black brothers consolidated and expanded the Aspinwall enterprise. Royal Connection Aspinwall became a public limited company in 1956, with financial participation from the Travancore Royal family. When, in 1971, the English company offered to disinvest its holdings, the Royal family acquired the controlling shares in the Group. With this regal association, the Aspinwall Group acquired a character and personality of its own, with dynamism, integrity and customer focus as its distinct hallmarks. The post - 1971 phase has been one of consolidation, modernisation and expansion for the Aspinwall Group - in the process, weeding out financially unviable ventures and diversifying into new areas of growth and profitability.