How did the Hanseatic League trade Scandinavian copper and iron?

The Hanseatic League incorporated Scandinavia into its commercial orbit by leveraging its geographical position and merchant naval superiority to control northern trade currents. Swedish copper and iron ore were specifically traded westward to supply the industrial markets of the west, such as Flanders and England, which required raw materials for production.1

The League facilitated this trade by establishing a network of Kontore—overseas trading communities—and local depots that allowed German merchants to secure favorable conditions and maintain a monopoly in key areas. By suppressing piracy and land robbery, and providing navigational aids like lighthouses and marker buoys, the League ensured that the transport of these raw materials remained secure across the northern seas.12