The three new nations do not have the commodities of old nations.
But seeing three ships, two of them pretty much 4th rates, along with a chase frigate, being handled their bacon by these refits( a pair of them ) brings to discussion a whole new spectrum of what is indeed the issue.
I reckon it is both. The choice of a "Impossible" nation, should be a clue and it states clearly there's no zones nor capital waters. Secondly, an adamant resistance to practice and wish to adapt by use of new sailing techniques.