Tramp Vessel

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

A-class Tramp Vessels are merchant vessels well suited to unscheduled, speculative interstellar trade. They are small-scale trade vessels and include the well known free traders and far traders.

• They strongly tend to be the smallest of the merchant vessels, who ply the space lanes in an unscheduled fashion, speculating under private captains. merchant princes, and tiny, desperate crews rather than sizable trading houses and corporations.
• A-class vessels are most associated with free traders, freelancers, and tramp liners.
• Tramps typically focus on opportunities within just a few clusters or traces before small scale trade dries up or they get in trouble with the law and are forced to run.
• A relatively high number of tramps reject legal postal union X-mail runs in favor of smuggling, black markets, and illicit trade. Some authorities rigorously inspect all tramp vessls as often as possible.
• 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
  • Battle Class Ship
  • Capital Ship
  • Fleet Class Ship
  • Size-Role Classification
  • Subcapital Ship
  • 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

• Astronomical Unit (AU)
• FTL
• Light Speed (c)
• Light-week (lw)
• Light-year (ly)
• NAFAL (STL)
• Parsec (pc)

Description (Specifications)

A-class Tramps are low tonnage vessels in the ACS category that cover the tramp market, which is to say unscheduled, high speculation trade routes that entail the possibility of great risks... and great profit. As soon as a tramp establishes a new route, the trail-broken trade route is likely to be snatched up by R-class subsidized liners or M-class freighter vessels with greater economic efficiencies. And the process begins anew...

Image Repository

1. A top down schematic of a Beowulf with a typical shuttle.
   
2. An early model Beowulf under spaceflight.
   
3. The A1 is externally identical to the Early model A2, a Garu.
   
4. The venerable Wulf class Free Trader.
   
5. The spheroid Tachyon class Light Trader, a rarely encountered design.
   
6. A Salamander-class coming into a starport to trade.
   

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)

Due to the risks, such A-class vessels often carry light naval armament, but can't honestly hope to fend off more than small corsair vessels. They stand almost no chance against military marauders and their only viable strategy must be to run against such opponents.

Supraclass Roles

Tramp Vessels typically serve the following roles:
Largecraft & Bigcraft:

A-class Tramp Supraclass Archetypes
Archetype	Type Code
Armed Junker	(AA)
Armed Trader	(AA)
Armored Merchant	(AA)
Armored Trader	(AA)
Armoured Fast Trader	(AA) or (AAF)
Caravel	(A)
Deep Trader	(A3) or (A22)
Far Trader	(A2)
Fast Trader	(A3)
Freelancer	(A)
Free Trader	(A1)
Frontier Trader	(AA) or (AF)
Independent Merchant	(A)
Heavy Trader	(AH)
Light Trader	(AL)
Long Trader	(A3)
Medium Trader	(AM)
Merchant Schooner	(A)
Merchant Vessel	(A)
Modular Systems Vessel	(A)
Private Merchant	(A)
Protected Merchant	(AA)
Provincial Merchant	(A2)
Provincial Trader	(A2)
Small Merchant	(AL)
Space Tramp	(A)
Trade Boat	(A)
Tramp Liner	(A1)
Tramp Ship	(A)
Tramp Vessel	(A) (Namesake)

Size-Class Roles for Tramp Vessels

1. Utility Craft (U) (1 to 99 tons)
2. Light Trader (AL) (100 to 999 tons)
3. Medium Trader (AM) (1,000 to 1,499 tons)
4. Heavy Trader (AH) (1,500 to 2,499 tons)
5. Freighter or Transport (M or T) (2,500 or larger 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:

A-class Tramp Supraclass Archetypes
Archetype	Type Code	Exemplar	Remarks
Tramp Vessel	A (Namesake)	Beowulf class Free Trader	None A = trAmp vessel
Free Trader / Tramp Liner	A1	Alexandria class Free Trader	(J-1): They are typically light, free-spirited J-1 trader craft, built to speculate on primary mains. Incredibly numerous and common craft speculating almost everywhere throughout Charted Space. A-1 = Parsec range distance of jump drive.
Far Trader	A2	Empress Marava class Far Trader	(J-2): They are typically a speculative trader with a J-2 drive built to travel off primary mains. Hardy, common craft going where free traders can't... A-2 = Parsec range distance of jump drive.
Deep Trader / Long Trader / Fast Trader	A3	Fat Cat class Far Trader	(J-3+): They are typically a ranged trader with a J-3 or greater jump-range for extended operations. Long or Deep Traders either employ a more powerful jump drive with greater range (J-3+), or a lesser jump drive (J-2+) with fuel for multiple jumps. Those employing a faster jump drive which can reach their destination in a single jump are often known as a Fast Trader. Uncommon and built to serve isolated systems in rift zones or low star density areas. A-3 = Parsec range distance of jump drive.
Armored Trader / Frontier Trader / Fast Trader	AA	Star class Armored Merchant	(Armed & Armored): They typically employ an armored hull and some defensive armament for dangerous trade in seedy, potentially hostile regions such as an Imperial Fringe. Uncommon, yet hardy and greatly valued where pirates and strangers dwell... A = Armored, Armed, etc. Those employing a faster maneuver drive are also known as a Fast Trader.
Light Trader	AL	Aoa'iw class Light Trader	(100 to 999 tons): Light Traders excel at light scheduled or unscheduled speculative trade. They are light and nimble with low operating costs and small crews. L = Light
Heavy Trader	AH	Leviathan class Merchant Cruiser	(1,500 to 2,499 tons): Heavy Traders push the limits of what an A-class vessel can do... They have higher operating costs and larger crews than smaller vessels and thus take larger risks when speculating along unknown trade routes. Almost all carry mail vaults and have at least a few staterooms for impromptu travellers able to afford the passage fees. They tend to better excel at subsidized work and most take a combination of tramp and scheduled workloads. H = Heavy
Medium Trader	AM	Bloodwell class Merchant	(1,000 to 1,499 tons): Medium Traders are a compromise between the nimble trade abilities of lighter craft and the heavier cargo loads of larger craft. They have higher operating costs and crew requirements compared to the typical free, far, fast, deep... or other traders. But, they have their niche in the interstellar socioeconomic trade system. M = Medium
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)

As soon as civilizations reach beyond their homeworld and its star system, a market for tramp vessels begins to develop... As colonies are established and new races encountered, the opportunity for interstellar trade and profitable speculation follows. There will always be adventurers, merchant princes, gentlesophonts, Travellers, and even a few scalliwags ready to explore and make a quick crimp.

Within Charted Space, most acknowledge that the Vilani were the first to the stars who still remain within the current order. Their tramp vessels first created and manufactured by the mighty Bureaux, the Vilani megacorporations, have been borrowed, purchased, stolen, and widely copied by nearly every sophont species with an FTL Jump Drive and a little hope. Some Type-A designs are literally over a thousand years old... They have seen empires rise and fall, a Long Night, mass conquest, and whatever other drama the reaches of Charted Space can provide. Desperate little crews still patch these vessels together with bailing wire and scrap metal, often cobbling together parts and technologies from very different sources. The original Vilani designs have been copied, cloned, further developed, modified, edited, mangled, and mutilated into a variety of mercantile mutt traders. Yes, they're glorious! Long live the venerable Type-A Tramps in their many guises!

Selected Variant Types & Classes

Merchant Vessel - Tramp Liner:
Merchant Vessel - (Free Trader / Tramp Liner):

1. Type A class Free Trader
   1. Alexandria class Free Trader
   2. Basil class Merchant
   3. Beowulf class Free Trader
   4. Bremen class Caravel
   5. Carrack class Tramp Liner
   6. Coriander class Free Trader
   7. Lune class Freelancer
   8. March Harrier class Free Trader
   9. Moraine class Free Trader
   10. Nymph class Merchant
   11. Regni Yards Type A class Free Trader
   12. Tequila class Free Trader
   13. Type A1 class Free Trader
   14. Type A-J2 class Free Trader
   15. Type A-P class Free Trader
   16. Type TC(S) class Free Trader

Civilian Ship - Merchant Vessel - Far Trader:

1. Type A2 class Far Trader
   1. Akkigish class Far Trader
   2. Akkigish class Subsidized Merchant
   3. April Hare class Far Trader
   4. Avian class Far Trader
   5. Empress Marava class Far Trader
   6. Fanzhienz class Far Trader
   7. Farrou class Far Trader
   8. Garu class Far Trader
   9. Gizicih class General Trader
   10. Hero class Far Trader
   11. Hnneshant class Trade Boat
   12. Hugin class Trader
   13. Independent Hauler class Far Trader
   14. Jayhawk class Far Trader
   15. Khershawn class Trader
   16. Maru class Merchant
   17. Nymph class Merchant
   18. Princess Gunnhilde class Far Trader
   19. Salamander class Far Trader
   20. Soho class Light Freighter
   21. Solostar class Far Trader
   22. Stage class Far Trader
   23. Treader class Free Trader
   24. Type A2L class Far Trader
   25. Type HR class Trader
   26. Type VA class Trader
   27. Wulf class Free Trader

Merchant Vessel - (Deep Trader / Long Trader / Fast Trader):

1. Type A3 class Fast Trader
   1. Fat Cat class Far Trader
   2. Swordfish class Merchant
   3. Trojan Reaches Type A3 class Trader
   4. Type A3L class Far Trader

Merchant Vessel - (Armored Trader / Frontier Trader / Fast Trader):

1. Type AA class Armored Merchant
   1. Jasper class Provincial Merchant
   2. Khoghue class Armed Junker
   3. Nguksu class Armoured Fast Trader
   4. Siyuihwye class Armored Trader
   5. Star class Armored Merchant
   6. Type RAX class Protected Merchant
   7. Venture class Frontier Trader

Merchant Vessel - Heavy Trader:

1. Type AH class Heavy Trader
   1. Dakaar class Freighter
   2. Dakaar class Merchant Transport
   3. Leviathan class Merchant Cruiser
   4. Type TI class Merchant
   5. Type TJ class Merchant

Merchant Vessel - Light Trader:

1. Type AL class Light Trader
   1. Anjou class Freighter
   2. Aoa'iw class Light Trader
   3. Burning Sky class Merchant Schooner
   4. Consul class Provincial Trader
   5. Fortune class Merchant
   6. Joshim P. Stone class Provincial Trader
   7. Liz Zhorka class Light Trader
   8. Manta class Small Merchant
   9. Panga class Merchant
   10. Paya class Light Freighter
   11. Rhapsody class Merchant Trader
   12. Tachyon class Light Trader
   13. Unholy Exile class Trader

Merchant Vessel - Medium Trader:

1. Type AM class Medium Trader
   1. Anhk class Merchant
   2. Bloodwell class Merchant
   3. Tyrfing class Freighter

Ship Summary List

134 Representative Free Trader / Tramp Vessel (A) 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 Akkigish class Far Trader AF 10 400 2 3 Vilani Imperium Akkigish class Subsidized Merchant AK 9 400 1 1 Third Imperium Yes AK-AS12 Alexandria class Free Trader AF 12 200 1 1 Third Imperium No AF-BS211 Amkarim class Trade Liner AK 11 600 1 1 Ziru Sirka RT-BU11 Anchorage class Orbital Station AW 10 45,000 0 1 Distant Fringe Andrew class Commercial Shuttle AK 15 95 0 3 Third Imperium No Anhk class Merchant AK 13 1,200 2 1 Third Imperium No Anjou class Freighter AF 14 440 2 2 Third Imperium Aoa'iw class Light Trader AF 12 300 2 1 Aslan Hierate Yes Apollo class Runabout A 7 50 0 2 Distant Fringe A-5A20 April Hare class Far Trader AF 11 400 2 1 Third Imperium Athelstan class Merchant AF 11 400 2 2 Third Imperium No Avian class Far Trader AF 11 200 2 2 Third Imperium No AX-H class Modular Heavy Fleet Auxiliary AN 12 10,000 1 2 Principality of Caledon AX-L class Modular Light Fleet Auxiliary AN 12 1,000 1 2 Principality of Caledon Basil class Merchant AF 200 1 2 Third Imperium No AF-BS211 Beowulf class Free Trader AF 10 200 1 1 Third Imperium Yes AF-BS11 Bloodwell class Merchant AK 13 1,000 3 1 Third Imperium Yes AK-KS13 Bluestone class Cargo Barge A 7 3,000 0 2 Distant Fringe Borazio class Heavy Freighter AK 10 1,000 2 1 Third Imperium Yes RC-KU12 Bremen class Caravel AF 10 600 1 1 Plavian League Brutus class Ship Transporter AN 11 30,000 2 1 Distant Fringe Burning Sky class Merchant Schooner AF 10 300 1 1 Kingdom of Peladon Caccil class Merchant A 13 100,000 1 1 Aakho Pantocracy Caine class Troop Transport AC 11 6,000 2 2 Distant Fringe Caroline class Heavy Pinnace AF 9 30 0 4 Distant Fringe AF-3A40 Cihzicih class Transport AK 15 800 2 2 Hive Federation Yes AK-HS12 Ciigusna class Pinnace AF 15 40 0 4 Hive Federation Yes AF-4S30 ColonyCord class Fast Trader AF 12 2,000 3 3 Second Imperium AF-VS33 Congo class Cargo Barge AK 9 50 0 1 Third Imperium AK-5S11 Consul class Provincial Trader AF 9 400 1 1 Distant Fringe AF-DS11 Coriander class Free Trader AF 12 300 2 2 Third Imperium Damgarrii class Passenger Launch A 9 20 0 1 Vilani Imperium Yes A-2L10 Darlene class Gig A 13 20 0 5 Third Imperium Yes A-2S60 Delta Princess class Merchant A 9 100 1 1 Third Imperium Denuli class Hunting Launch AY 12 20 0 1 Third Imperium Yes A-5S10 Desiree Keah class Yacht AY 15 400 4 1 Third Imperium No Y-DS14 Dhaztuen class Far Merchant AK 12 600 3 1 Vargr Extents Yes Doji Hoturi class Bulk Freighter AK 11 3,000 2 2 Distant Fringe AK-03A22 Eakhau class Trader AF 11 400 2 1 Aslan Hierate Yes AF-DS12 Echtovr Dazhia class Council Cruiser AY 12 2,000 3 2 Zhodani Consulate Empress Marava class Far Trader AF 10 200 2 1 Third Imperium Yes AF-BS12 Entremis class Military Transport AN 11 8,000 2 2 Unity of Sed AN-08P22 Exile class Yacht AY 11 200 2 2 Yimin Jiti Fanzhhienz class Far Trader AF 9 200 2 2 Zhodani Consulate Yes AF-BS22 Farrou class Far Trader AF 11 200 2 2 Vargr Extents Yes AF-BS22 Fat Cat class Far Trader AF 14 300 2 2 Third Imperium Yes AF-CL22 Freespace Gateway class Freighter AK 12 2,500 3 2 Third Imperium AK-02S23 Gamma Haden class Liner AK 11 1,000 2 2 Distant Fringe AK-KS22 Garu class Far Trader AF 11 200 2 1 Third Imperium Yes AF-BS12 Ghent class Subsidized Merchant AK 9 400 1 1 Third Imperium Yes Gizicih class General Trader AF 12 400 2 1 Hive Federation Yes AF-4S12 Goliath class Provincial Freighter AK 9 3,500 1 2 Distant Fringe AK-03S21 Guilder class Subsidized Merchant AK 12 400 1 1 Third Imperium Yes RK-DA11 Harbor class Orbital Station AW 11 95,000 0 1 Distant Fringe Hercules class Commercial Tender AV 11 3,500 2 2 Distant Fringe Hero class Far Trader AF 11 200 2 2 Ziru Sirka Yes Hnneshant class Trade Boat AF 11 400 2 2 Vargr Extents No Ihatei class Transport AQ 13 50,000 3 1 Aslan Hierate Yes IT-0ES13 Iinen class Yacht AY 14 200 1 1 Third Imperium Independent Hauler class Far Trader AF 12 100 2 1 Vland AF-AS12 Jasper class Provincial Merchant AK 9 900 1 1 Distant Fringe Jayhawk class Far Trader AF 12 200 2 1 Third Imperium Yes AF-BS12 Jelmirt Marquis class High Liner AK 12 80,000 3 3 Percavid Marches AK-0HP33 Jeremey class Recovery Boat AN 12 20 0 2 Jelmiri Marches AN-1A20 Jose Cadiz Royal Galleon class Cargo Carrier AK 14 900 4 2 Third Imperium Joshim P. Stone class Provincial Trader AF 9 400 1 1 Distant Fringe AF-DS11 K class SICP Colony Ship AQ 14 10,000 3 2 Solomani Sphere Khershwan class Trader AF 12 300 2 2 Vargr Extents No Khtukhao class Clan Transport AK 11 600 2 2 Aslan Hierate Yes R2-FU22 Kolomyia class Fast Liner AK 12 1,000 3 2 Solomani Confederation Lanthium Petal class Speculative Trader AF 12 800 3 2 Third Imperium Yes AF-HS23 Last Armada class Launch AK 11 20 0 2 Terran Confederation Last Armada class Survey Shuttle AK 11 60 0 3 Terran Confederation Launch A 8 20 0 1 Third Imperium Yes A-2S10 Liberty III class Independent Merchant A 15 1,000 2 2 Third Imperium A-KS22 Lightning class Frontier Merchant AK 11 400 2 3 Terran Confederation Yes Lushina class Fast Cutter A 15 50 0 6 Third Imperium No A-5S60 Maada class Fast Trader AF 11 200 1 4 Third Imperium Yes AF-BS41 Manta class Small Merchant AF 11 200 2 1 Third Imperium AF-BS12 Maru class Merchant AK 13 500 2 1 Third Imperium No AK-EU12 Mauripo class Subsidized Merchant AK 15 600 2 1 Third Imperium No Mavuzo class Super Freighter AK 12 500,000 3 3 Principality of Mavuzo AK-0PU33 Mooring class Orbital Station AW 11 40,000 0 1 Distant Fringe Mora class Freighter AK 15 1,000 2 1 Third Imperium Yes AK-KS12 Moraine class Free Trader AF 10 200 1 1 Third Imperium Yes AF-BS11 Narva class Pinnace AF 9 20 0 4 Distant Fringe A-2A40 Noql class Free Trader AF 14 300 2 1 Zhodani Consulate Yes Nye class Caravel AF 11 2 2 Free and Holy Federation of Amil AK-FS22 Nymph class Provincial Merchant AF 11 400 2 1 Third Imperium No A2-DP12 Palatine class Merchant Trader AK 11 700 2 1 Distant Fringe AK-GA12 Paya class Light Freighter AF 9 100 1 1 Third Imperium AF-AS11 Perseus class Free Trader AF 12 200 1 1 Third Imperium No AF-BA11 Petty class Subsidized Merchant AK 12 400 1 1 Third Imperium Yes Port of Nickle Eugenia class Bulk Container Vessel A 13 142,000 4 4 Talokan Armed Forces A-0KU44 Pratt class Gig A 14 20 0 6 Third Imperium Yes Princess Gunnhilde class Far Trader AF 13 200 2 1 Vargr Extents Yes Queen class Modular Subsidized Merchant AK 13 600 3 1 Third Imperium No Refugee Pilgrim class Transport A 12 10,000 3 3 Tenjada Moralitate Regni Yards Type A class Free Trader AF 12 200 1 1 Third Imperium More...

0 Representative Far Trader / Tramp Vessel (A1) Classes
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0 Representative Deep Trader / Fast Trader / Tramp Vessel (A3) Classes
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0 Representative Armored Trader / Frontier Trader / Tramp Vessel (AA) Classes
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0 Representative Heavy Tramp Vessel (AH) Classes
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0 Representative Light Tramp Vessel (AL) Classes
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0 Representative Medium Tramp Vessel (AM) Classes
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References & Contributors (Sources)

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 Far Future Enterprises 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