Freighter

Line Combatants (Primary - Capital)				Escort Combatants (Secondary - Subcapital)				Military Auxiliary (Tertiary)
B- Battleship	C- Cruiser	O- Ortillery	V- Carrier	D- Destroyer	E- Escort	F- Fighter	H- Defense/Security	I- Combat Transport	Q- Combat Support	S- Scout	U- Utility	X- Commo	Z- Special

Mercantile Commercial Ships (Trade & Profit)				Non-Mercantile Commercial Ships (Industry & Profit)					Non-Commercial Ships (Nonprofit)			System Craft (Intrastellar)
A- Tramp	M- Freighter	R- Liner	T- Transport	G- Industrial	J- Prospector	K- Expedition	P- Corsair	U- Utility	L- Science	N- Medical	Y- Private	WB- Barge	WA- Satellite	WO- Space Station

M-class Freighters serve medium and high-volume trade routes in contrast with the smaller A-class and R-class. It serves many of the same routes as the often larger T-class Transports and Tankers.

• A cargo-carrying trade vessel smaller than 2,500 tons is considered an ACS RC-class Cargo Liner, not an M-class Freighter. Freighters concentrate on larger, higher volume markets than smaller haulers such as the majority of speculative A-class Free Traders and R-class Subsidized Merchants.
• The Supraclass designation is also known as Ship Mission, Ship Mission Code, Mission, or Ship Hull Designation.
• It is a starship supraclass.

Library Data Referral Tree

Please refer to the following AAB Library Data for more information:
Starship:

• Starship User Types
  • Civilian Ship
  • Military Ship
  • Non-Commercial Vessel
  • Paramilitary Ship

• Advanced Ship Classifications
  • Ship Mission Code / Supraclass
  • Ship Type Code / Superclass
  • Ship Class Code / Class
  • Model (TL)
  • Bloc (Lot)

• Basic Ship Classifications
  • Adventure Class Ship (Auxiliary Class Ship)
  • Battle Class Ship (Bulk / Subcapital Class Ship)
  • Capital Ship (Capital Class Ship)
  • Fleet Class Ship (Capital Class Ship)
  • Size-Role Classification
  • Subcapital Ship (Small & Large Battle Class Ships)
  • QSP
  • USP
  • World Class Ship

• Ships by Function
  • Bigcraft
  • Boat
  • Capital Ship
  • Largecraft
  • Non-starship
  • Smallcraft
  • Spaceplane
  • Spaceship
  • Starship
  • Subcapital Ship
  • Subcraft
  • System Craft
  • Warship

Speed of Travel

• Light Speed (c)
• FTL
• NAFAL (STL)
• Astronomical Unit (AU)
• Light-second (ls)
• Light-minute (lm)
• Light-hour (lh)
• Light-day (ld)
• Light-week (lw)
• Light-year (ly)
• Parsec (pc)

Description (Specifications)

Medium-haul M-class Freighters transport nearly half of trade goods, resources, and other tradable materials within Charted Space. Such craft don't receive the same attention as the massive T-class Bulk Cargo Transports nor the smaller A-class Free Traders and R-class Far Traders, but they should since they are the unsung heroes of interstellar trade. They typically haul thousands to tens of thousands of tons of goods between ports of call.

Image Repository

Merchant Vessel - MC Cargo Freighter:

1. A Hercules class Cargo Transport under spaceflight.
   

Merchant Vessel - MF Provincial Freighter:

1. A Goliath class Provincial Freighter.
   

Merchant Vessel - MH Heavy Freighter:

1. No image yet available.

Merchant Vessel - ML Light Freighter:

1. A Freespace Gateway class Freighter under spaceflight.
   
2. A Sirocco class Merchant Freighter in side view.
   
3. An ODS class Light Liner, a converted military transport used as part of the Orowani Deep Space Fuel Cache.
   

Merchant Vessel - MM Medium Freighter:

1. No image yet available.

Merchant Vessel - MP Passenger Freighter:

1. Two Clii Argu class Common Transports under civilian use as merchant vessels heading for a highport.
   
2. A Sapphire Moon class Moduleship cruising through system space approaching a safari destination.
   

Merchant Vessel - MPL Luxury Passenger Freighter:

1. A majestic Gaia class Luxury Liner.
   
2. A Horizon class Passenger Freighter in side view.
   
3. An Olympian class Cruise Liner in a side view schematic.
   

Merchant Vessel - MS Superheavy Freighter:

1. No image yet available.

Spectrum of Civil Shipping in Charted Space

Spectrum of Civil Shipping in Charted Space: 1105
Cateogries	A-class	R-class	M-class	T-class
Synopsis	Tramp	Liner	Freighter	Transport & Tanker
Hull Tonnage	100 to 2,499 dTons	100 to 2,499 dTons	2,500 to 999,999 dTons	2,500 to 999,999 dTons or more... (...rarely more than 1,000,000) dTons
Size-Cat	ACS	ACS	BCS & FCS	BCS & FCS (rarely WCS)
Ideal Freight Volume	Zero to Low (Hundreds of tons)	Medium (Hundreds to Thousands of tons)	High (Thousands to Tens of Thousands of tons)	Very High (Tens to Hundreds of Thousands of tons)
Market	Unscheduled low volume, high speculation trade routes	Mostly scheduled, medium speculation, subsidized trade routes	Scheduled medium and high-volume, low speculation trade routes	Scheduled high volume trade routes with massive economies of scale, or massive (...usually government) projects
Rough Market Share	10%	25%	45%	20%
Area of Influence	Cluster or Trace+	Subsector+	Sector	Multi-Sector
Business	Fledgling Line	Subsector-wide Line & Interface Line	Sector-wide Line	Multi-sector Line
Remarks	Merchant Princes & Adventurers	Scheduled & Subsidized Trade	Backbone of Merchant Trade	Corporate Bulk Trade
NOTES: While standards exist, ship naming standards evolve with time and over tech epochs. Class naming comments are only generalizations and many exceptions exist. Trade is heavily affected by local regulations, the rule of law, and local security conditions. WCS-class vessels are not ordinarily used for merchant missions as they are too large and expensive.

Strategy & Tactics (Doctrine)

Freighters are merchant vessels, not combatants. Like most civilian ships, flight is the best response to piracy, terrorism, or other forms of hostile aggression. Freighters are enough of an investment that escort vessels often accompany convoys of trade vessels.

Supraclass Roles

Freighters typically serve the following roles:
Largecraft & Bigcraft:

M-class Freighter Supraclass Archetypes
Archetype	Type Code
Cargo Freighter	(MC)
Cargo Ship	(MC)
Container Ship	(MC)
Freighter	(M) (Namesake)
Heavy Freighter	(MH)
High Liner	(MP)
Liberty Ship	(MF)
Light Freighter	(ML)
Light Liner	(ML)
Luxury Freighter	(MPL)
Medium Freighter	(MM)
Megafreighter	(MH)
Merchant Freighter	(MF)
Modular Cargo Ship	(MC)
Multi-purpose Cargo Ship	(MC)
Passenger Freighter	(MP)
Personnel Transport	(MP)
Provincial Freighter	(MF)
Super Freighter	(MS)
Superheavy Freighter	(MS)
Trade Freighter	(MF)
Treasure Galleon	(MC)
Ultraheavy Freighter	(MU)

Size-Class Roles for Freighter Vessels

1. Utility Craft (U) (1 to 99 tons)
2. Tramp Vessel or Liner (A or R) (100 to 2,499 tons)
3. Light Freighter (ML) (2,500 to 99,999 tons)
4. Medium Freighter (MM) (100,000 to 249,999 tons)
5. Heavy Freighter (MH) (250,000 to 499,999 tons)
6. Superheavy Freighter (MS) (500,000 to 999,999 tons)
7. Ultraheavy Freighter (MU) (1,000,000 or more tons)

Civilian Subcraft

Civilian subcraft (...both smallcraft and bigcraft) are carried by some of these vessels:

1. Barge (WB)
2. Utility Craft (U)

Supraclass Archetypal Roles

These vessels typically serve the following archetypal roles:

M-class Freighter Supraclass Archetypes
Archetype	Type Code	Exemplar	Remarks
Freighter	M	Freespace Gateway class Freighter	Freighters are generic merchant Merchant vessels comprise the bulk of trade vessels and often more than half of any astrographic region's total trade tonnage. The conservative estimate is that M-class Freighters carry at least 40% of interstellar trade. M = Merchant
Cargo Freighter	MC	Hercules class Cargo Transport	Cargo freighters usually focus on subsector or multi-subsector trade. Many don't bother with refueling scoops since they often carry a fuel lighter or refueling shuttle. Many carry their own loading and unloading equipment to serve underdeveloped starports rather than use expensive interface services or highports. They carry trade goods across the stars frequently transporting thousands to ten thousands tons of salable merchandise or resources. Most are equipped with fuel scoops and fuel purification plants for long hauls. They often perform sector or even multisector trade. Many are unstreamlined cluster hulled craft that must use interface services and highports. They typically rely on loading and unloading services rather than carry their own and serve better developed, richer starports. M = Merchant C = Cargo
Provincial Freighter	MF	Star*mart class Provincial Merchant	Provincial Freighters ply the medium value star lanes trading goods, and often covering the gap between free and far traders and the bigger bulk traders. Some of these vessels actually function as mobile retail fronts, landing, and opening up shop like nomadic merchants. Others participate in more conventional trade. M = Merchant F = Far, Frontier, Provincial, etc.
Heavy Freighter	MH	No exemplar yet available.	MH-class heavy freighters weigh in between 250,000 to 499,999 tons in displacement and while focused on a smaller market than many T-class transports, they are still potent, heavy haulers. Most depend on convoys and escorts to resist piracy and interstellar marauders. M = Merchant H = Heavy
Light Freighter	ML	Garrett Durant class Cargo Hauler	ML-class light freighters weigh in between 2,500 to 99,999 tons at he lower end of the BCS category. While they are light compared to larger bulk carriers, they can still be massive starships, and when their hardpoints are filled with defensive weapons, they wield considerable firepower. Most are optimized to carry heavy modular container cargos across vast interstellar distances of many, many parsecs. M = Merchant L = Light
Medium Freighter	MM	Hellworld class Merchant Cruiser	MM-class medium freighters weigh in between 100,000 to 249,999 tons in displacement and are often used to carry special bulk cargos of massive resources such as mineral components, massive wood sources, starship hulls, power plant parts, and the like. They are only medium in name and many push the top end of the BCS category. M = Merchant M = Medium
Passenger Freighter	MP	Royal class Interstellar Liner	Passenger freighters or Interstellar liners are large, frequently luxurious passenger carriers equipped to carry the influential and wealthy across the star lanes. NOTE: Long-range luxury passenger liners are generally called Interstellar Liners as opposed to the less luxurious, more utilitarian RP-class passenger liners. Passenger freighters are generally larger than RP-class passenger liners. M = Merchant P = Passenger
Luxury Freighter	MPL	King Richard class Interstellar Liner	Luxury Freighters are what the public calls luxury liners or cruise liners. While smaller versions exist in the ACS range, the larger vessels are technically known as Luxury Passenger Freighters even if this term mostly appears on official documents. They are large and often equipped with a plethora of amenities. M = Merchant P = Passenger L = Luxury
Superheavy Freighter	MS	Mavuzo class Super Freighter	MS-class superheavy freighters weigh in between 500,000 to 999,999 tons and are larger than many warships. When a superheavy comes into port, it has the potential to transform markets and inspire cargo cults on smaller worlds. Such massive mercantile starships almost always have a significant convoy of potent escorts. M = Merchant S = Superheavy
NOTES: There is semantic overlap between many of the classes and codes. Some codes organize by mission or capability, others by size and tonnage, and yet others by other characteristics.

History & Background (Dossier)

No information yet available.

Selected Variant Types & Classes

Civilian Ship - Merchant Ship - Cargo Freighter:

1. Type MC class Cargo Freighter
   1. Balaanii class Merchant Freighter
   2. Garrett Durant class Cargo Hauler
   3. Hellworld class Merchant Cruiser
   4. Hercules class Cargo Transport
   5. Pinyin class Treasure Galleon
   6. Prosperity class Medium Freighter
   7. Type AH class Heavy Merchant
   8. Valiant Conveyor class Liberty Ship

Civilian Ship - Merchant Ship - Provincial Freighter:

1. Type MF class Provincial Freighter
   1. Star*mart class Provincial Merchant

Civilian Ship - Merchant Ship - Heavy Freighter:

1. Type MH class Heavy Freighter
   1. No exemplar of this superclass yet available.

Civilian Ship - Merchant Ship - Light Freighter:

1. Type ML class Light Freighter
   1. Doji Hoturi class Bulk Freighter
   2. Freespace Gateway class Freighter
   3. Orowani Deep Space class Light Liner
   4. Sirocco class Merchant Freighter
   5. Xeekr'kir! class Merchant

Civilian Ship - Merchant Ship - Medium Freighter:

1. Type MM class Medium Freighter
   1. Independence of the Stars class Interstellar Liner

Civilian Ship - Merchant Ship - Passenger Freighter:

1. Type MP class Passenger Freighter
   1. Gaia class Luxury Liner
   2. Horizon class Passenger Freighter
   3. Jelmirt Marquis class High Liner
   4. King Richard class Interstellar Liner
   5. Last Armada class Personnel Transport
   6. Nebula class Starliner
   7. Olympian class Cruise Liner
   8. Royal class Interstellar Liner
   9. Sapphire Moon class Moduleship
   10. Shuvalivashtu class Luxury Liner
   11. Clii Argu class Common Transport (Type TC class Common Transport)

Civilian Ship - Merchant Ship - Freighter:

1. Type MS class Superheavy Freighter
   1. Mavuzo class Super Freighter

Ship Summary List

Some of the most commonly used vessels in this role or these roles include:

84 Representative Freighter (M) Classes

Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile Aekguthang class Assault Cutter MN 12 20 0 3 Vargr Extents No Assault Lander class Marine Gig MN 15 20 0 1 Third Imperium Bastien class Subsidized Liner MK 12 600 3 1 Third Imperium Yes Besouro Valente class Personnel Transport M 11 12,000 2 1 Terran Confederation M-0AS12 Blakeway class First Response Vessel MM 100 0 4 Third Imperium Yes MM-AL40 Brilliance class Long Liner M 14 800 4 2 Third Imperium Yes Brilliant Gem class Cruise Liner MV 14 36,117 5 1 Krax Confederation No Camel class Medical Launch M 15 20 0 1 Third Imperium No M-2S10 Celestial Star class Luxury Liner M 15 2,000 6 1 Third Imperium Codori Prime class Luxury Liner M 11 800 2 2 Distant Fringe M-HB22 Coeus class Assault Pinnace MN 13 20 0 5 Third Imperium No A-2S60 Condor class Racing Yacht MY 15 100 6 3 Third Imperium Yes Condor class Subsidized Liner M 13 400 3 1 Third Imperium Coyotl class Bulk Hauler M 13 2,000 2 3 Infinity League A-VU32 Deliverance class Lifeboat MM 9 50 0 2 Distant Fringe MM-5A20 Dragon class Yacht MY 14 300 3 2 Third Imperium No Elysium class Passenger Barge MK 10 1,000 0 3 Distant Fringe MK-KA30 Eshpadir class Orbital Installation MW 15 500 0 0 Third Imperium No Excellence class Fast Shuttle M 7 90 0 3 Distant Fringe M-9A30 Flyer class Diplomatic Courier MC 13 100 3 5 Darrian Confederation Fortune class Merchant M 12 600 3 1 Third Imperium No Gaia class Luxury Liner M 11 10,000 2 3 Distant Fringe Gallant class Assault Shuttle MN 11 80 0 5 Distant Fringe MN-8A50 Giiphicih class Liner M 15 1,200 2 1 Hive Federation Yes M-MU12 Glimmerdrift class Subsidized Liner M 12 600 3 1 Third Imperium No MK-FU13 Gold of Zurrian class Long Liner M 15 1,000 4 1 Third Imperium M-KS14 Governor class Yacht MY 13 900 4 2 Council of Heads Great Eastern class Troop Transport MN 15 50 0 3 Third Imperium Yes MN-5S30 Horizon class Passenger Liner M 11 6,000 2 3 Distant Fringe Iigicih class Embassy Ship MK 14 1,200 2 1 Hive Federation Yes Independence of the Stars class Interstellar Liner M 15 154,407 4 4 Third Imperium M-0KP44 Interstellar Lifesaver class Lifeboat MM 10 10 0 2 Terran Confederation Yes K'Bam class Assault Lander M 8 8 0 1 Akras Kahk'rik'kreng class Yacht MK 12 6,000 3 1 Two Thousand Worlds Yes Kihrvak Platoon Drop Ship class Marine Cutter M 15 50 0 3 Third Imperium King Richard class Interstellar Liner M 11 5,000 2 1 Third Imperium No KSbA Model A-23 class Lifeboat MM 8 10 0 2 Third Imperium No Lady Charlotte class Yacht MY 15 200 1 1 Third Imperium No Lady of Shallott class Yacht MY 9 200 1 1 Third Imperium No Longevity class Lifeboat M 15 100 1 1 Third Imperium No Lord Baltimore class Yacht MY 15 200 4 4 Third Imperium Yes Lord Somerset class Subsidized Liner M 12 600 3 1 Third Imperium No Mal'Gnar class Assault Skiff M 12 20 0 1 Mal'Gnar Primarchic Maranatha class Yacht MY 12 200 1 1 Third Imperium No MY-BB11 Marrel Veckor class Lifeboat M 9 20 0 2 Distant Fringe M-2S20 Mender-of-Herds class Hospital Ship MM 14 500 3 5 Two Thousand Worlds MM-ES53 Model 292 class Life Boat M 15 100 0 1 Third Imperium Nebula class Starliner M 14 9,000 5 1 Third Imperium Olympian class Cruise Liner M 11 10,000 2 4 Distant Fringe Olyora class Medevac Pinnace MM 14 60 0 6 Aslan Hireate No MM-6L60 Orowani Deep Space class Light Liner M 11 6,000 2 2 Distant Fringe M-06P22 Parthenolab class Bio-Construction Vessel MM 13 400 2 2 Solomani Confederation GCB-DU22 Prancing Poni class Charter Yacht MY 12 200 2 1 Third Imperium Yes Pride of Vland class Long Liner M 13 1,000 4 1 Third Imperium No M-KS14 Rake II class Yacht MY 13 400 4 2 Third Imperium Raptor class Combat Lander MN 13 20 0 3 Third Imperium Yes Reliant class Lifeboat MM 11 20 0 1 Third Imperium No Relief class Hospital Ship MM 13 3,300 4 4 Third Imperium Rock class Touring Ship MY 9 300 1 1 Third Imperium Yes K-CP11 Royal class Interstellar Liner M 11 5,000 2 1 Third Imperium Yes Sapphire Moon class Moduleship M 14 13,363 1 1 Krax Confederation No Shuvalivashtu class Luxury Liner M 15 5,000 4 1 Third Imperium SK-3 class Lifeboat MM 15 20 0 1 Third Imperium No Songbird class Ship's Boat M 9 40 0 4 Distant Fringe M-4A40 Star Butler class Yacht MY 12 300 2 3 Rule of Man YK-CS32 Star class Merchant Liner M 15 1,000 2 1 Third Imperium No Starblade class Executive Yacht MY 11 200 2 4 Distant Fringe MY-BS24 Stellar class Liner M 14 600 3 1 Third Imperium TC00a Porter class Gig M 10 20 0 2 Trooles Confederation M-1A20 TC02 Grave Endeavor class Dropship MN 11 20 0 3 Trooles Confederation TC04 Valkyrie class Dropship MN 11 40 0 3 Trooles Confederation Type HE class Embassy Ship MK 15 800 2 1 Hive Federation Yes Type HT class Bounty Hunter MY 10 100 2 2 Third Imperium No Type M class Subsidized Liner MK 13 600 3 1 Third Imperium Yes MK-FU13 Type RT class Longliner M 13 1,000 4 1 Third Imperium Yes M-KS14 Type UY class Private Smallcraft MY 10 10 0 2 Third Imperium MY-1S20 Wanderer class Luxury Yacht MY 11 200 2 3 Distant Fringe MY-BS23 Xeekr'kir! class Merchant M 11 6,000 2 1 Two Thousand Worlds Yes Xeng Kirr class Space Ark MQ 15 1,000,000 6 1 Two Thousand Worlds Xerxes class Armed Packet Ship MK 12 300 3 3 Third Imperium MK-CS33 Xiong class Drop Boat MN 13 50 0 3 Sindalian Empire Yaeai class Recon Pinnace M 14 60 0 6 Aslan Hierate No M-6L60 Yawl class Troop Carrier MN 12 400 1 1 Old Worlds Ziiguysna class Pinnance MN 15 40 0 6 Hive Federation Yes

1 Representative Cargo Freighter (MC) Classes
Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile Flyer class Diplomatic Courier MC 13 100 3 5 Darrian Confederation

0 Representative Provincial Freighter (MF) Classes
No results

0 Representative Heavy Freighter (MH) Classes
No results

0 Representative Light Freighter (ML) Classes
No results

10 Representative Medium Freighter (MM) Classes

Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile Blakeway class First Response Vessel MM 100 0 4 Third Imperium Yes MM-AL40 Deliverance class Lifeboat MM 9 50 0 2 Distant Fringe MM-5A20 Interstellar Lifesaver class Lifeboat MM 10 10 0 2 Terran Confederation Yes KSbA Model A-23 class Lifeboat MM 8 10 0 2 Third Imperium No Mender-of-Herds class Hospital Ship MM 14 500 3 5 Two Thousand Worlds MM-ES53 Olyora class Medevac Pinnace MM 14 60 0 6 Aslan Hireate No MM-6L60 Parthenolab class Bio-Construction Vessel MM 13 400 2 2 Solomani Confederation GCB-DU22 Reliant class Lifeboat MM 11 20 0 1 Third Imperium No Relief class Hospital Ship MM 13 3,300 4 4 Third Imperium SK-3 class Lifeboat MM 15 20 0 1 Third Imperium No

0 Representative Passenger Freighter (MP) Classes
No results

0 Representative Luxury Passenger Freighter (MPL) Classes
No results

0 Representative Superheavy Freighter (MS) Classes
No results

References & Contributors (Sources)

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This list of sources was used by the Traveller Wiki Editorial Team and individual contributors to compose this article. Copyrighted material is used under license from Mongoose Publishing or by permission of the author. The page history lists all of the contributions.

• This article is an amalgamation of many different materials published since 1977.
• Traveller Wiki Editorial Team
• Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master of Sophontology Maksim-Smelchak of the Ministry of Science