Freighters

Freighters are cargo ships with vast cargo holds. Freighters can often be spotted on New Eden's major highsec trade routes, while Jump Freighters are used to transport cargo out to null- and lowsec. Freighters have no high, mid, or rig slots but they do have three low slots, with restrictive CPU and Powergrid to limit the available modules with a role bonus to Reinforced Bulkheads. A freighter pilot's only other way of enhancing their ship's performance is via implants or drugs.

Freighters are subject to certain restrictions: Assembled (secure) containers cannot be put in a freighter's cargo hold, so that pilots can't use containers to increase freighters' cargo capacity.

The four general freighters are good for carrying very large amounts of cargo in high security space. They align and warp too slowly to be safely used in lowsec or nullsec. Freighters are very tough, but they are definitely not immune to suicide ganking -- organized and prepared groups of gankers can and do kill freighters.

The ORE freighter is specialized in carrying assembled ships, and is used widely for transporting incursion ships through high security space.

With the Equinox update, a new Upwell freighter specialised for PI hauling has been introduced. This freighter is also armed, boasting a formidable (comparatively) missile loadout and high tank capabilities.

All freighters get 5% bonuses to cargo capacity (or ship maintenance bay in the case of the Bowhead) and velocity per level of the faction's freighter skill ( Amarr Freighter,  Gallente Freighter, etc.). Since you must train the freighter skill to at least level one, the base capacity of the ship is only used to calculate the actual capacity.

The  Providence has

• A cargo hold starting at a base of 435,000 m3 and a max of 1,127,015 m3
• A velocity starting at a base of 70 m/s
• Second most agile and second highest EHP.

The  Charon has

• The largest cargo hold of the group, starting at a base of 465,000 m3 and a max of 1,204,741 m3
• The slowest velocity of the group, started at a base 60 m/s
• Least agile of the group.

The  Obelisk has

• A cargo hold starting at a base of 440,000 m3 and a max of 1,139,969 m3
• A velocity starting at a base of 65 m/s
• Highest EHP of the group.

The  Fenrir has

• The same size cargo hold as the Providence, starting at a base of 435,000 m3 and a max of 1,127,015 m3
• The fastest velocity of the group, started at a base 80 m/s)
• Most agile of the group.

The  Bowhead has

• A negligible general cargo hold of 4,000 m3
• An enormous Ship Maintenance Bay of 1,600,000 m3
• A velocity starting at a base of 65 m/s
• Extra three mid slots and three rig slots, much higher CPU and Powergrid and can fit Damage Control and Microwarpdrive.

The  Avalanche has

• A moderately sized general cargo hold of 205,000 m3
• A colossal PI specialised hold at a base of 2,000,000 m3, and a max of 3,000,000 m3
• A moderate base velocity of 75 m/s
• A unique freighter slot layout of 6H / 3M / 3L, with 6 launcher slots

Freighter capacity

Freighter	Base (m3)	Skill I	Skill II	Skill III	Skill IV	Skill V
Providence	435,000	456,750	478,500	500,250	522,000	543,750
Charon	465,000	488,250	511,500	534,750	558,000	581,250
Obelisk	440,000	462,000	484,000	506,000	528,000	550,000
Fenrir	435,000	456,750	478,500	500,250	522,000	543,750

Freighters can be found in the market under: Capital Ships ► Freighters. They also use capital parts to build but are nevertheless generally not considered capital ships.

History

With the Kronos update, freighters and jump freighters all gained 3 low slots and reductions in cargo capacity. They can be fit to surpass their pre-Kronos cargo capacities with expanded cargoholds at the expense of tank. The tendency for freighter pilots to fit for maximum ISK rather than maximum tank and then proceed to autopilot their freighters between trade hubs led to widespread ganking. As such, it is strongly recommended that pilots who unwisely opt to autopilot their ships fit reinforced bulkheads instead in order to protect their investments.