Difference between revisions of "Hauling"

From EVE University Wiki
Jump to: navigation, search
m (Added a cleanup tag since the first line is a request for expansion. It will make it stand out in the Cleanup Requests so people will see it an help.)
m (→‎Comparison table for cargo ships: Update Kryos, fix ore hold m3 and add missing ice hold m3)
 
(207 intermediate revisions by 79 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Cleanup}}
+
{{Industry Links}}
(First draft by Callin Vandylx, using information gleaned from Steave435, Cassius Longinus and Scrapyard Bob, amongst myriad others. Please enhance this!)
+
'''Hauling''' is the practice of moving cargo from one place to another. Due to limited cargo hold sizes and travel times, moving things in EVE can be a time consuming and, in some places, dangerous business. Some players specialize in hauling, whether to move goods from one market to another or to bring supplies and ships to the staging ground for a null sec alliance. This can be done for its own purposes or can be done on behalf of others in exchange for ISK rewards via the contracting system. This can be a very viable way to make ISK for medium-skilled players.
  
TODO: Link to Uni Obelisk program.
+
This page describes how to carry cargo (hauling) in EVE. For specific advice on moving your own items, see [[moving your items]].
  
= Hauling Craft =
+
== Hauling craft ==
 +
There are a few classes of ships designed for hauling. Each fills a type of niche, and what ship to use depends on the type of hauling.
  
This gives a rundown of the strengths and weaknesses of each type of hauling craft.
+
=== Haulers ===
 +
{{main|Haulers}}
 +
The first hauling ships a player can use are [[Tech and meta levels|Tech 1]] Haulers. These are relatively cheap and fast and can haul a moderate amount of cargo. They are however also very fragile and can be destroyed by just one ganker if the cargo they carry is valuable enough. These ships can be sorted into three different classes:
 +
* Fast transports, which are used to move low-volume, high-value goods quickly and safely.
 +
* Bulk transports, which have a much higher capacity than the fast transports, but are slower and have less [[tank]]
 +
* Specialized transports, which are similar to bulk transports in terms of tank and agility, but have very large cargoholds that can carry only one type of item (such as ammunition or minerals)
  
== T1 Industrials ==
+
Haulers have the lowest skill requirements of all hauling craft. Even [[alpha clone]]s can fly them, though they can only train the Spaceship Command skills to level I.
  
Primary use: Cargo with large volume, but low value.  
+
=== Blockade Runners ===
 +
{{main|Blockade Runners}}
 +
Blockade runners are Tech 2 haulers. They are the fastest and most agile hauling ship by quite a margin. They can align as quickly as a [[frigate]], are some of the fastest ships in EVE at warp speeds, and even at sub-light speeds they can fly as quickly as a fast cruiser. Additionally, they can fit covert ops [[cloaking|cloaking devices]] (and hence can warp while cloaked). This means that the only real danger to a properly fitted and flown blockade runner are the [[Tackling#Warp disruption fields|warp disruption bubbles]] in nullsec and w-space. With "The Great Escape" update, released May 18, 2021, Blockade Runners are at least somewhat protected from these, as well, by fitting an '''Interdiction Nullifier'''.
  
The ''Iteron V'' provides, by far, the best cargo space, and it can fit a pretty decent tank in its 5 mid slots. The ''Badger II'' can fit an even better tank in its 6 mid slots, but its cargo space gets cut in half compared to the Iteron. The ''Bestower'' offers only slightly better cargo then the Badger II, but fits only a lousy tank in its 4 mid slots. Finally, the ''Mammoth'' has a decent tank as well with 5 mid slots, but loses 7k m^3 compared to the Iteron V.
+
They can carry a little less cargo than the Tech 1 fast transports, but can be fitted to carry up to about 10,000{{m3}} of cargo (enough to carry a [[Assembling and repackaging|packaged]] [[cruisers]]) at the cost of reduced agility and/or speed.
  
== Blockade Runners (T2 Industrial) ==
+
=== Deep Space Transports ===
 +
{{Main|Deep Space Transports}}
 +
Deep Space Transports (DSTs) are tech 2 haulers with larger cargo capacities than their tech 1 equivalents and fleet hangars that hold 50,000{{m3}} (increased by skills). They have bonuses to active tanking, either shield resistances or armor resistances, helping them to fit substantial [[buffer]] tanks. Finally, they get a unique role bonus of 100% to overheating benefits of Afterburners, Microwarpdrives, Local Repair Modules, and Resistance Modules.
  
Primary use: Relatively small and/or very expensive cargo.  
+
They also have a role bonus of +2 warp strength: this means they can't be tackled by just one warp disruptor or non-faction warp scrambler, though they can still be caught by bubbles, gangs of tacklers, or [[HIC]]s. The Great Escape update gave Deep Space Transports the ability to fit an '''Interdiction Nullifier''', giving temporary immunity to interdiction bubbles.
  
The Gallente ''Viator'' and Amarr ''Prorator'' are the best in this category. The reason for this is that Blockade Runners can warp cloaked, and as such should never be target locked, so tank doesn't matter (as much), but cargo space does. These two can reach above 10k m^3 space with a full rack of T2 cargo expanders and T1 cargo rigs. With 10k space, you can safely carry a cruiser, so you can move expensive recons, Heavy Assault Cruisers, Logistics ships, HICs (???) and T3 ships around safely. The Caldari ''Crane'' can do the same, but it requires T2 rigs to pull it off at about 90m ISK each, and the Minmatar ''Prowler'' can't do it at all. The Prowler, on the other hand, does have two high slots which allows a combo of a cloak and a probe launcher or something else you may want, but for hauling, it's not particularly recommended.
+
Where blockade runners are meant to rely on speed and stealth to slip by the enemy, deep space transports are designed to bust their way through the enemy, relying on their warp strength and tanking abilities to escape. This probably won't work against a determined and well-prepared gatecamp, and using a deep space transport indicates to all and sundry that you have cargo you want to protect, so you should think carefully before deploying one.
  
== Deep Space Transport (T2 Industrial) ==
+
=== Freighters ===
 +
{{main|Freighters}}
 +
Freighters are the ultimate cargo carrying ships, with vast cargo holds. They are often seen flying between high sec trading hubs. All freighters have no high, mid, or rig slots but do have 3 low slots, with restrictive CPU and powergrid to limit the available modules with a role bonus to Reinforced Bulkheads. Freighters also can use Inertial Stabilizers and Nanofiber Internal Structures to increase their agility. Otherwise, a freighter pilot's only other way of enhancing their ship's performance is via [[Implants#Skill Hardwirings|hardwiring implants]].
  
Primary use: Large, moderately valued cargo.  
+
Use Freighters for huge cargo through high sec and very short distances into low sec. These require proper support (someone to web for faster aligns, scouts, preferably some EW).
  
There is a split here between the races: The Gallente ''Occator'' and the Amarr ''Impel'' can pretty much match the Iteron V for cargo space, but with double the effective HP (EHP). The Caldari ''Bustard'' and Minmatar ''Mastodon'' get about 23k m^3 cargo (with shield extender rigs), but with 60-65k EHP, both with the option to swap 5k cargo for 11k EHP by fitting a damage control in a low slot. Trying to match that cargo with an Occator/Impel only gets you 40k or so EHP, so it's a "cargo vs. tank" thing here.
+
The four Tech 1 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 -- organised and prepared groups of gankers can and do kill freighters.
  
Steave435's opinion: These are not really that important. If the cargo is valuable enough to need the extra protection of a Deep Space Transport (DST), then it should be in a Blockade Runner.
+
All four freighters get 5% bonuses to cargo capacity and velocity per level of their pilot's racial freighter skill ({{Sk|Amarr Freighter}}, {{Sk|Gallente Freighter}}, and so on). Since you must train the freighter skill to at least level 1, the base capacity of the ship is only used to calculate the actual capacity. It is worth noting that the Caldari freighters with {{Sk|Caldari Freighter|IV}} can hold more than any other freighter, even with their respective freighter skills trained to 5.
  
== Freighters and Jump Freighters ==
+
=== Jump Freighters ===
 +
{{main|Jump Freighters}}
 +
The Tech 2 versions of freighters, jump freighters, have a reduced cargo capacity but are capable of using [[cynosural field]]s to jump long distances. They are also able to use stargates like normal ships. (Since cynosural fields cannot be lit in highsec, jump freighters traveling in highsec have to use stargates.) This makes them ideal supply ships for people who live in nullsec.
  
Use Freighters for huge cargo through high sec and very short distances into low sec. These require proper support (someone to web, scouts, preferably some EW).
+
Jump Freighters are used to carry cargo from the high/low sec border to wherever it is needed in null sec and back again. Caldari freighters are the largest, closely followed by Gallente, then Amarr and lastly Minmatar, which is partially compensated for by lower fuel use. The difference is not large though.
  
(TODO: Describe the proper support fully)
+
Jump freighters have much larger potential tanks than Tech 1 freighters when properly fit, but at the cost of a much reduced cargo bay. All jump freighters can exceed 500,000 EHP in tank, which makes ganking them in highsec extraordinarily difficult and expensive.
  
Use Jump Freighters to carry cargo from the high/low sec border to wherever it is needed in null sec and back again. Caldari freighters are the largest, closely followed by Gallente, then Amarr and lastly Minmatar. The difference is not large.
+
=== Orca ===
 +
The {{sh|Orca}} offers 5 different cargo holds:
 +
* 30,000 m³ Cargo Hold which can be extended to 90,000+ m³ with skills and modules
 +
* 200 m³ Drone Bay which hold just drones
 +
* 40,000 m³ Fleet Hangar which can also hold assembled ships
 +
* 400,000 m³ Ship Maintenance Bay for assembled ships
 +
* 150,000 m³ Mining Hold for unrefined mining goods, with additional bonus due to ship skills ([[Mining]], [[Ice harvesting]])
  
== Orca ==
+
All holds, hangars and bays except the Drone Bay can be scanned by a [[Cargo scanning|Cargo Scanner]]. However, due to how cargo scanners work, modules fitted to ships in the Ship Maintenance Bay are not detectable by scanning.
  
For pure anti-gank hi-sec hauling, the Orca probably excels at this. It can't hold anywhere near as much as the Freighters, but the Corp Hangar makes a wonderful place to hide 40k m^3 of cargo that you don't want to show up on a cargo scanner.
+
However, the Orca requires a completely different skill set than most haulers. After the Odyssey skill changes, it will take 18d 19h 6m to train. This is a significant cut in training time from the old requirements pre-Odyssey.
  
However, the Orca requires a completely different skill set, whereas all the other haulers have pretty much the same skills: a Racial Industrial V with a few small (but expensive) skills on top of that.
+
=== Other options ===
 +
There are situations where a small fast craft is better than a big lumbering beast. These include moving blueprints or other small volume, high value cargo. The best options at this size are nullified travel-fit Interceptors (so-called [[Travel_fits#Fleet_Interceptors|travel-ceptors]]), [[Frigates#Covert Ops|Covert Ops Frigates]], and (for highsec/lowsec) the Hecate with a [[Travel_fits#Hecate|sub-1s align time fit]]. These can provide near-perfect safety if handled correctly.
  
In addition, stuff in the Corp Hangar/SMA (Ship Maintenence Array) always gets destroyed when the ship is blown up and does not appear on killmails. This means that even if the gankers somehow get intel about the expensive cargo that you have in there, suicide ganking you is still pointless since they can't get to it anyway.
+
As an alternative, a shuttle (all areas of space) or a fast T1 frigate (in highsec and lowsec) will work as well, but they are more susceptible to smartbombing gatecamps. Tactical bookmarks on-grid with gates ("perches") and insta-dock/insta-undock bookmarks can mitigate this risk considerably. (See [[Bookmark]] for an more in-depth explanation.)
  
== Fast Transports ==
+
The {{sh|Sunesis}} is a special edition destroyer that is given out to all Omega pilots once a year. Various fitting options exist, with a sub-2s fit able to hold 1200 {{m3}} without any expensive faction modules. It is an easily accessible and cheap option for highsec and lowsec and can be used by Alpha players as well.
  
There are situations where a small fast craft is better then a big lumbering beast. These include  moving blueprints or other small volume, high value cargo.
+
A {{sh|Victorieux Luxury Yacht}} can warp cloaked, ignores nullsec bubbles if fitted with an interdiction nullifier, can be fit with enough tank to survive smartbombs, and has very decent align time and warp speed. That is another good option for moving high-value, low-volume cargo.
  
TODO: Discuss a few good fast transport setups for these purposes.
+
=== Faction comparison ===
 +
Amarr have the largest capacity T1 Haulers but otherwise tend to be outperformed by other races. Minmatar haulers tend to align and fly slightly faster than other factions, but don't sacrifice cargo or tank to do it, making them arguably the best haulers overall. Caldari have the largest capacity freighters, and unquestionably the tankiest T1 haulers. The specialized Gallente T1 haulers (and to a lesser extent the Minmatar ammo hauler) are extremely convenient if you regularly haul ore/minerals/PI/ammo.
  
== Racial Comparison ==
+
To maximize flexibility, it's recommended that all new haulers train Gallente and Minmatar haulers to at least 3, and from there decide which race to train to 5 depending on what exactly it is you want to do.
  
Gallente have the best T1 Industrial, and are pretty much tied for first place in every other class of hauler. By comparsion, Minmatar only shine in the Blockade Runner part if you need a second high slot for some reason (not strictly hauling only). Amarr perform very well in the T2 Industrials, but are weak in the T1s and have a smaller freighter. Caldari have the largest Freighter, but need to T2 rig their Blockade Runner to reach above the "magical" 10k m3 limit, and the Iteron far outperforms the Badger.  
+
=== Hauler type comparison ===
 +
The best hauler is situational; it depends on where you are (high, low, null/WH/Pochven) combined with how large and valuable the cargo is. For example, using an Occator (DST) to move a cargo small enough to fit in a Viator (BR) is sub-optimal, as is using a Viator to move large amounts of tritanium around in high sec when you could use a Kryos (T1 hauler specialised for minerals) instead.
  
Callin Vandylx's and Steave435's opinion: All in all, I again have to say that I think Gallente is the best choice due to giving top class performance in everything, even if various other races may give a very very small advantage in some areas.
+
Below are the optimal ships for each task, assuming that the area that you're going to or through is not a place where it's clearly a bad idea to bring such a ship type <em>and</em> that the cargo value is low enough to be within the recommended limits (in highsec). This does not mean that only these ships can or should be used. (For negligible-volume hauling for example, a Shuttle will do fine in all areas of space, but using an interceptor is better because it gives you more protection against smartbombing gatecamps.) But if training up a toon specifically for hauling duties, these are good goals to work toward.
  
== Hauler Type Comparison ==
+
* Cargo with near-negligible volume: Interceptor or Cov-Ops Frigate (anywhere), sub-1s Hecate (highsec/lowsec)
 +
* Up to 1,200 {{m3}} in highsec/lowsec: sub-2s Sunesis
 +
* Up to 10,000 {{m3}} (packaged cruiser size) anywhere: Blockade Runner
 +
* Low-value cargo up to 15,000 {{m3}} (packaged battlecruiser size) anywhere: Fast T1 Hauler
 +
* Low-value cargo up to 30,000 {{m3}} (two packaged battlecruisers size) in highsec: Bulk T1 Hauler, specialised T1 Haulers
 +
* Medium-value cargo up to 60,000 {{m3}} (packaged battleship size): Deep Space Transport (anywhere) (if Jump Freighter is not [yet] an option), Orca (highsec)
 +
* High-value cargo beyond 10,000 {{m3}} in highsec: Blockade Runner doing several trips (even if you may get the job done faster with a DST, getting it there slowly is better than not getting it there at all due to being ganked)
 +
* Huge cargo above ~60k {{m3}} and below ~300k {{m3}} anywhere: Jump Freighter (aligns faster than a Freighter and has more tank)
 +
* Huge cargo above ~300k {{m3}} anywhere: Freighter (requires escort in low and null, is easily caught by bubbles/gatecamps), Jump Freighter doing several trips
  
The best hauler is situational; it depends on where you are (high, low, null security space) combined with how large and valuable the cargo is. For example, using an Occator to move a cargo small enough to fit in a Viator is sub-optimal, and using a Viator to move large amounts of Tritanium around in high sec is as well.
+
==== Comparison table for cargo ships ====
 +
{| class="wikitable sortable"
 +
|-
 +
! scope="col" | Name
 +
! scope="col" | Level
 +
! scope="col" | Faction
 +
! scope="col" | Cargo<br><small>{{color|#AAAAAA|m³}}</small>
 +
! scope="col" | Velocity<br><small>{{color|#AAAAAA|m/sec}}</small>
 +
! scope="col" | Inertia
 +
! scope="col" | Warp<br><small>{{color|#AAAAAA|AUs}}</small>
 +
! scope="col" | Shield<br><small>{{color|#AAAAAA|HP}}</small>
 +
! scope="col" | Armor<br><small>{{color|#AAAAAA|HP}}</small>
 +
! scope="col" | Hull<br><small>{{color|#AAAAAA|HP}}</small>
 +
! scope="col" | Extra
 +
|-
 +
|[[Sigil]]||T1||Amarr||2100||125||0.86||4.5||780||1900||2400
 +
|-
 +
|[[Bestower]]||T1||Amarr||4800||110||0.95||3||450||850||940
 +
|-
 +
|[[Badger]]||T1||Caldari||3900||127||0.84||4.5||1440||750||2060
 +
|-
 +
|[[Tayra]]||T1||Caldari||7300||115||0.97||3||1100||550||810
 +
|-
 +
|[[Wreathe]]||T1||Minmatar||2900||140||0.81||4.5||1140||1000||2900
 +
|-
 +
|[[Hoarder]]||T1||Minmatar||500||130||0.85||3||840||800||1200||41000 ammo
 +
|-
 +
|[[Mammoth]]||T1||Minmatar||5500||120||0.91||3||640||600||935
 +
|-
 +
|[[Nereus]]||T1||Gallente||2700||130||0.78||4.5||960||1050||2600
 +
|-
 +
|[[Kryos]]||T1||Gallente||550||120||0.92||3||600||700||970||50000 minerals + 30000 ice
 +
|-
 +
|[[Epithal]]||T1||Gallente||550||120||0.9||3||580||740||1000||45000 comodities
 +
|-
 +
|[[Miasmos]]||T1||Gallente||550||120||0.94||3||590||710||950||42000 ore
 +
|-
 +
|[[Iteron Mark V]]||T1||Gallente||5800||105||0.87||3||540||650||970
 +
|-
 +
|[[Prorator]]||T2||Amarr||2900||170||0.52||6||800||2000||2100||cloaked
 +
|-
 +
|[[Crane]]||T2||Caldari||4300||160||0.51||6||2100||1000||1900||cloaked
 +
|-
 +
|[[Viator]]||T2||Gallente||3600||165||0.54||6||1000||1700||2700||cloaked
 +
|-
 +
|[[Prowler]]||T2||Minmatar||3500||220||0.485||6||1500||1500||1700||cloaked
 +
|-
 +
|[[Impel]]||T2||Amarr||3100||90||1.0||3.3||2000||4300||4500||50000 hangar
 +
|-
 +
|[[Bustard]]||T2||Caldari||5000||80||1.0||3.3||4300||2300||4000||50000 hangar
 +
|-
 +
|[[Occator]]||T2||Gallente||3900||110||1.0||3.3||2400||4000||5000||50000 hangar
 +
|-
 +
|[[Mastodon]]||T2||Minmatar||4500||120||1.0||3.3||4000||2800||3100||50000 hangar
 +
|-
 +
|[[Providence]]||T1||Amarr||435000||70||0.063||1.37||10000||46000||100000||freighter
 +
|-
 +
|[[Charon]]||T1||Caldari||465000||60||0.063||1.37||50000||15000||77500||freighter
 +
|-
 +
|[[Obelisk]]||T1||Gallente||440000||65||0.063||1.37||14000||40000||110000||freighter
 +
|-
 +
|[[Fenrir]]||T1||Minmatar||435000||80||0.063||1.37||48000||22000||65000||freighter
 +
|-
 +
|[[Ark]]||T2||Amarr||135000||84||0.055||1.5||12000||55200||120000||jump
 +
|-
 +
|[[Rhea]]||T2||Caldari||144000||72||0.055||1.5||60000||18000||93000||jump
 +
|-
 +
|[[Anshar]]||T2||Gallente||137500||78||0.055||1.5||16800||48000||132000||jump
 +
|-
 +
|[[Nomad]]||T2||Minmatar||132000||96||0.055||1.5||57600||26400||78000||jump
 +
|}
  
Below are the optimal ships for each task, assuming that the area that you're going to/through is not a place where it's a clearly bad idea to bring such a ship type. As soon as moving through either null or low sec is required, you are strongly encouraged to switch to a Viator (Blockade Runner) or Jump Freighter.
+
[[File:IndustrialShipWarpvsCargo-r1.2021.07.26.png|frame|left]]
 +
{{Clear}}
  
* Small cargo of any value: Blockade Runner
+
== Hauling skills ==
* Large cargo of low value: T1 Industrial or Deep Space Transport
 
* Large cargo of medium value: Deep Space Transport
 
* Large cargo of high value: Blockade Runner. (Even if you may get the job done faster with a DST, getting it there at all is better then not getting it there due to being ganked.)
 
* Huge cargo below ~350k m^3: Jump Freighter (it aligns faster then a Freighter)
 
* Huge cargo above ~350k m^3: Jump Freighter or Freighter depending on the enviroment
 
  
= Hauling Skills =
+
=== Ship flying skills ===
 
+
* {{Sk|Warp Drive Operation}}: Helps with long warps. Each skill level reduces the capacitor need of initiating warp by 10%.
== Ship Flying Skills ==
+
* {{Sk|Spaceship Command}}: Reduces align time. 2% improved ship agility for all ships per skill level.
 
+
* {{Sk|Advanced Spaceship Command}}: May reduce align time. Grants a 5% Bonus per skill level to the agility of ships requiring Advanced Spaceship Command
* Warp Drive Operation: Helps with long warps. Each skill level reduces the capacitor need of initiating warp by 10%.
+
* {{Sk|Evasive Maneuvering}}: Increases ship agility and acceleration. 5% improved ship agility for all ships per skill level.
* Spaceship Command: Reduces align time. 2% improved ship agility for all ships per skill level.
 
* Advanced Spaceship Command: May reduce align time. Grants a 5% Bonus per skill level to the agility of ships requiring Advanced Spaceship Command (This only applies to T1 freighters, all other ships that require it do so because it is a pre req for an another skill that the ship need, and those ship types do not get the bonus).
 
* Evasive Maneuvering: Increases ship agility and acceleration. 5% improved ship agility for all ships per skill level.
 
 
 
== Tanking Skills ==
 
  
 +
=== Tanking skills ===
 
Generally useful skills:
 
Generally useful skills:
* Shield Management: 5% extra shields per level
+
* {{Sk|Shield Management}}: 5% extra shields per level
* Shield Operation: 5% reduction in shield recharge time per level; level IV allows use of T2 shield boosters
+
* {{Sk|Shield Operation}}: 5% reduction in shield recharge time per level; level IV allows use of T2 shield boosters
* Shield Upgrades: 5% reduction in shield upgrade powergrid needs per level; level IV allows use of T2 shield extenders and rechargers
+
* {{Sk|Shield Upgrades}}: 5% reduction in shield upgrade powergrid needs per level; level IV allows use of T2 shield extenders and rechargers
* <type-specific> Shield Compensation: 3% bonus per level in <type-specific> resistance for active hardeners (but only while they are NOT active!), 5% bonus per level for passive hardeners
+
* <type-specific> Shield Compensation: 5% bonus per level for passive hardeners
* Shield Compensation: 2% reduction in shield booster capacitor utilization per level (useful for active tanks, but in high sec, no active tank will have time to make up for the lower EHP it has compared to buffer tanks before concord arrives, and in dangerous areas, haulers are not able to fit enough tank to save them against anything except smartbombs, which again need buffer rather then active tanks)
 
  
 
Recommendation:
 
Recommendation:
* Get Shield Management and Shield Operation at least to IV (I disagree with the Shield Operation recommendation, active tanks are pretty useless for haulers, as described above, so this one won't be needed for these ships /Steave).
+
* Get Shield Management and Shield Operation at least to IV
  
 
Particularly useful modules:
 
Particularly useful modules:
* Engineering II & Tactical Shield Manipulation IV: Allows use of Invulnerability Field II.
+
* {{Sk|Power Grid Management|II}} & {{Sk|Tactical Shield Manipulation|IV}}: Allows use of Multispectrum Shield Hardener II.
* Hull Upgrades IV: Allows use of T2 Damage Control. There is a trade-off with the cargo expanders typically used by haulers, however.
+
* {{Sk|Hull Upgrades|IV}}: Allows use of T2 Damage Control. There is a trade-off with the cargo expanders typically used by haulers, however.
* Energy Grid Upgrades IV, Engineering II, and Science I: Allows use of T2 Power Diagnostic Systems. Some shield tankers prefer these over Damage Controls for the boost in shield recharge rate (that recharge will not have time to make up for the ehp loss compared to a damage control before concord arrives, even in a 0.5 with a 13 second delay, but it can be combined with a damage control).
+
* {{Sk|Energy Grid Upgrades|IV}}, {{Sk|Power Grid Management|II}}, and {{Sk|Science|I}}: Allows use of T2 Power Diagnostic Systems. Some shield tankers prefer these over Damage Controls for the boost in shield recharge rate (that recharge will not have time to make up for the ehp loss compared to a damage control before concord arrives, even in a 0.5 with a 13 second delay, but it can be combined with a damage control).
 +
 
 +
== Fitting considerations for hauling ships ==
 +
 
 +
The best form of tanking for haulers is not getting caught in the first place. This is especially true outside of highsec: the amount of tank in lowsec/nullsec/WH/Pochven rarely makes a difference to the outcome, because a well set up gatecamp can just spend more time getting through your ship's HP or call in reinforcements from nearby friendly pilots, while in highsec the response time of CONCORD puts an upper limit to the engagement duration. Still, fitting for maximum tank after the other crucial modules are taken care of can work against less experienced and/or single pilot attackers, giving you enough time to escape tackle, rely on damage to the attacker's ship by lowsec gate guns, or successfully burn back to the gate and jump back through. (The latter won't be an option if you used any aggressive action on your part, such as activating a Burst Jammer module, because of your own weapons timer.)
  
= Hauler Tanking =
+
In all areas where [[Tackling#Warp_disruption_fields|warp disruption bubbles]] may be used (nullsec, WH space, Pochven), fitting an Interdiction Nullifier module is strongly recommended; other less-optimal options are shuttles (small cargospace, vulnerable to smartbombing gatecamps, but inherently immune to bubbles), frigates fitted for high on-grid speed (to escape from both bubbles and enemy tacklers), and cov-ops cloak capable ships such as the {{Sh|Astero}} and [[Frigates#Stealth_Bombers|Stealth Bombers]] that can not fit the Interdiction Nullifier modules (but can by virtue of their cov-ops cloaking device move without speed penalty while cloaked).
  
There are several types of tanking: buffer tanking, passive tanking and active tanking. Additionally, some buffer tanks are entirely passive (no active modules) and others include active resistances and damage control modules. The active modules must be turned on after every jump; remapping them to the F1-F8 keys makes this less inconvenient.
+
Blockade runners rely on good bookmarks, crafty use of their Covert Ops Cloak, and not fitting anything that would increase the signature radius (no shield extenders). Due to their use of a covops cloak, well-flown blockade runners can be almost impossible to catch in highsec and lowsec. They are thus a good choice for more expensive cargo runs, but being very flimsy can easily get ganked if left uncloaked at a gate or while slow-boating from outside the docking ring of a station.
  
For high sec operation, the buffer tank is most common, as the goal is to survive the alpha strike (initial volley) of the attacking gankers and remain alive long enough for CONCORD to come and destroy the attacker(s).
+
For low-volume hauling, a ship that is fitted to align in less than 2 seconds (see [[Instant align]] for details) offers a fairly high level of protection against being intercepted by targeted warp disruption, with the added benefit that the risk your cargo is successfully scanned is also reduced. Warp disruption bubbles are still a concern however. In highsec and lowsec, the sub-1s Hecate is truly uncatchable if piloted correctly (and no game disconnects occur). For higher volumes of cargo, fit the ship to use the [[Cloak trick]] wherever possible (always on Deep Space Transports), and consider warp core stabilisers as an option if you have fitting slots to spare (highly recommended for Deep Space Transports once more, due to their innate warp core strength bonus). Outside of highsec, having a Burst Jammer module and Hornet EC-300 drones (on the few ships commonly used for hauling that have a drone bay) can work as a last-ditch effort to get yourself free from a gatecamp. Note that the Burst Jammer modules interfere with Interdiction Nullifiers, and their use in highsec is strongly discouraged due to the risk of accidentially hitting a neutral target and getting "[[CONCORD#CONCORD_mechanics|CONCORDed]]".
  
T1 Industrials are typically passive buffer tanked.  
+
=== Fitting an appropriate tank for highsec hauling ===
 +
The more EHP that you have, the harder it is for the attacker to blow up your ship and steal your stuff. The calculations regarding how many ships a ganker will need to use (and lose to CONCORD) to successfully destroy your ship compared to how much value the dropped cargo will likely be are a deciding factor in most highsec ganks. Considering that a cheap T1 gank ship like the {{sh|Catalyst}} can cost as little as 2m ISK fully fitted, a common rule of thumb is to limit the value of the carried cargo plus the modules (but not rigs) fitted to the ship to less than 3000 ISK per EHP (3 million ISK per 1k EHP).
  
An example buffer tank fit would include 1x EMP Shield Amp, 1x Thermal Shield Amp and 2-3x Medium Shield Extenders. One or two Invulnerabilty Field IIs can also be used, but remember that requires capacitor to run and has to be restarted after every jump. The Damage Control II is far better because it uses hardly any cap, but you still have to remember to turn it on, but it requires removing an Extended Cargohold II.
+
There are several types of [[Tanking|tanking]]: buffer tanking, (shield) passive tanking and active tanking. For movements within highsec, the buffer tank is most common, as the goal is to survive the alpha strike (initial volley) of the attacking gankers and remain alive long enough for CONCORD to come and destroy the attackers. Some buffer tanks are entirely passive (no active modules), while others include active resistance modules. The active modules must be turned on after every jump; remapping them to the F1-F8 keys makes this more convenient. Still, relying on active modules for a significant part of your overall EHP carries with it the risk that you forget to turn them on in the heat of the moment.
  
For hauling, passive shield tank skills are key, followed by the ability to use a Damage Control II and Invulnerability Field II. After that, armor tanking can be considered, but that takes away cargo space quickly as you burn up low slots with armor plates/hardeners instead of Expanded Cargohold modules.
+
T1 haulers ships are most often shield tanked to allow the low slots to be used for Expanded Cargohold modules. You will want to fit as many medium/large shield extenders into the mid slots as possible. This should be balanced with shoring up your weak EM/thermal resist holes using Multispectrum Shield Hardener modules or Shield Resist Amplifier modules (Kinetic Shield Amplifiers in case of a fit designed specifically against the common hybrid turret Catalysts used in ganking). In cases where you need more EHP and can sacrifice cargo space, consider adding a Damage Control Unit II module, Reinforced Bulkheads, or armor resist modules. A poorly fit T1 hauler will only have 4k to 6k EHP, a well fit T1 hauler can have 10k to 20k EHP without sacrificing too much cargo space.
  
Visibly active tanking might discourage ganking by the discriminating ganker, so remember to keep your active modules (if any) running at all times.
+
Visibly active tanking (most notably the Multispectrum Shield Hardener) might discourage ganking by the discriminating ganker, but your capacitor will not allow you to keep them running at all times. Remember to turn them on when you align out of a gate and to turn them off once you are in warp. Turning them back on when you land at your destination gate is optional, but having them active as you land at a busy station like a trade hub is recommended.
  
For hauling in null sec, a Microwarp Drive is key for getting out of bubbles. These are best used on a Blockade Runner that can cloak.
+
Shield tanking skills are key for the above, followed by the ability to use a Damage Control II and Multispectrum Shield Hardener II. After that, armor tanking can be considered, but that takes away cargo space quickly as you use up low slots with armor plates/hardeners instead of Expanded Cargohold modules. Note that Tech 2 Deep Space Transports and specialized Gallente haulers like the {{sh|Miasmos}}, {{sh|Epithal}} or {{sh|Kryos}} are mostly useful for their specialized holds which are unaffected by Expanded Cargohold modules. These ships can, and should, be fitted with tanking, agility, or warp speed low slot modules, making armour tanked Deep Space Transports like the {{sh|Impel}} a common sight.
  
== Avoiding Ganking ==
+
For Orcas, the standard fit is a Damage Control II and Reinforced Bulkhead II in the low slots and three Large Transverse Bulkhead II rigs. This takes your ship from about 150k EHP up to about 420k EHP. The addition of some passive shield resistance amplifiers (2x EM, 1x Kinetic, 1x Thermal) will increase the EHP to about 450k even at low shield skills. Replacing the passive Amplifiers with active Hardeners adds another bit of EHP but requires more attention. Using Cargo rigs is discouraged since you lose about 170k EHP for a low amount of additional cargohold. You should train Hull Upgrades IV and Mechanics IV (or better V) before undocking. Being able to use a Damage Control II gives a nice EHP boost, and since you are almost fully hull-tank, the extra 5% from Mechanics V are also very nice. You should also consider using a Inherent Implants 'Noble' MC (Slot 8) which increases hull HP by anything from 1% up to 6%.
  
In a T1 Industrial, the best way to avoid suicide ganks in a hauler is to fly a ship that can warp cloaked, and not be AFK. You should be safe moving anything through low and high security space that way.
+
Freighters and Jump Freighters have three low slots and can fit any combination of cargohold expanders, Nanofiber Internal Structures, Inertia Stabilizers, Reinforced Bulkheads, warp speed modules, and (in the case of Jump Freighters) fuel-use reducing modules. How you fit a Freighter for highsec hauling will depend on the size of the cargo: it is strongly recommended to fit Reinforced Bulkheads whenever possible and to not fit cargohold expanders unless absolutely necessary, as the expanders will reduce your overall tank substantially. For Jump Freighters, the appropriate fit is highly dependent on which part of a typical hauling journey you are in. Pilots for both Freighters and Jump Freighters will almost always carry a full set of modules for refitting to another setup in their cargohold.
  
The second best is to just not be AFK. (Embarassing that that really needs to be said.) In that case, perhaps mobility (instabs/stabilizers) work as well as buffer to discourage ganking (No, they don't, you will not be able to align faster then a gank ship can lock, tackle and shoot you, so you still need buffer /Steave).
+
== Avoiding ganking ==
 +
When hauling, you should remember the following guidelines to avoid being ganked:
  
If you must travel AFK, then buffer is all you have. Some favor explosive/kinetic/thermal hardening as they believe suicide gankers consider Harbingers to bo too expensive (because of faction crystals and the cost of the hull), and that most people will be ganking in Hurricanes and Drakes. However, the high damage potential of lasers combined with the long range it can be delivered at means that they're perfect for catching haulers after they jumped trough a gate, enabling the ganker to catch both people that are afk and those that are not.
+
* Don't fly when wardecced
 +
* Don't fly AFK using the autopilot
 +
* Fit your hauler well & use the right ship
 +
* Don't haul expensive cargo in a flimsy ship
 +
* Know your route, and know the most dangerous ganking spots
 +
* Use [[Bookmark#Common uses|undock bookmarks]] at busy stations
 +
* Consider using a contractor
 +
* Other tips and tricks
  
If you're really trying to go anti-gank in high sec, then a Deep Space Transport (65k EHP, 8k cargo on an Occator), Orca (250k EHP, 90-95k cargo) or Freighter (200k EHP 900-950k cargo) becomes mandatory. However, a blockade runner will be able to carry more cargo then a max tank DST, while staying safer due to its cloak.
+
For further information consider reading [[Suicide ganking]] for detailed ganking and anti-ganking strategies for haulers
  
== Builds ==
+
==== Wardecced corp ====
 +
Never fly a Hauler ship (especially not freighters/jump freighters loaded with lots of cargo) when your corp is wardecced.
 +
You will become easy prey and will quickly get turned into ashes, together with your expensive cargo.
 +
If you need to haul during a wardec, drop the wardecced corp temporarily and fly under an NPC corp, or use an out-of corp hauler: [[Creating an Alt Hauler]]
  
=== Iteron V, Tank ===
+
==== AFK hauling ====
 +
Flying AFK using autopilot is the #1 way that most haulers lose their ships. When you use the autopilot to fly you to your destination, it warps you to 15km from the next gate then you slowly approach the gate at 100-200 m/s (slower in a Freighter). At a minimum, this leaves you exposed for about a minute per gate and gives any potential attacker time to scan your ship, scan your cargo, then get ahead of you and setup a gank party. At worst, it gives you time to be bumped and ganked right there.
  
[Iteron Mark V, Tank] (Cassius Longinus)
+
If you must fly AFK, know your route, keep your cargo value very low, and fit as much buffer tank as possible. There are areas of space where flying AFK is reasonably safe, but the longer you do it, the higher the chances that someone will notice the pattern and try to take advantage of it.
<pre>3x Reactor Control Unit I
 
2x Expanded Cargohold II
 
  
Large Shield Extender II
+
==== Use the right ship & fit your ship well ====
Magnetic Scattering Amplifier II
+
Use the information in the other sections to make an informed decision on which ship to use, and what an appropriate fit for the intended journey is. Many ganks happen because a player is using an under-tanked or inappropriate ship for the job or has not considered the dangers along the route and at the destination. Remember: Both using evasion and fitting a tank to your ship counts as "tanking". Don't be tempted to haul expensive faction BPCs to a trade hub in a bulk T1 Hauler because you're already in that ship anyway to pick up Tritanium for your other industry jobs, do a separate trip for those in a fast-align ship.
Explosion Dampening Amplifier II
 
2x Heat Dissipation Amplifier II
 
  
2x [empty high slot]
+
==== Expensive cargo ====
 +
In the case of a "suicide" gank, the goal of the attacker is to trade their ship for your cargo. They do this by knowing how much ISK they will lose when their ship gets blown up by CONCORD and how much ISK your cargo is worth. Therefore your defense against a profit-minded attacker is to raise their costs while keeping the value of your cargo below the attacker's break-even point.
  
3x Medium Core Defence Field Extender I</pre>
+
With the commonly used 3M ISK per 1k EHP guideline, if your ship has 8k EHP, you should not be carrying more than 24M ISK worth of cargo and fit modules per trip. The more that you exceed that ISK/EHP value, the more likely you are to get ganked. However, you can often get away with 4M-6M ISK per 1k EHP if you know your route, do not auto-pilot, and know the key risk factors.
  
That has 15+K EHP, which should tank most solo-Battlecruiser gankers.
+
Another alternative is the 50 million ISK maximum collateral for T1 haulers used by several hauling corporations. They will haul cargo up to 50,000,000 ISK and 17,000 {{m3}} in size using T1 haulers. This indicates what they consider to be safe for high sec hauling in that type of ship.
  
<pre>[Iteron Mark V, New Setup 2]
+
Key risk factors (which raise/lower the ISK/EHP calculation):
Expanded Cargohold II
+
* System security
Expanded Cargohold II
+
* Location (some systems are frequently camped)
Expanded Cargohold II
+
* AFK traveling
Expanded Cargohold II
+
* How shiny your cargo is, and how easy it will be to carry the loot away (Having most of your value in large items such as repackaged hulls can give some less-well-set-up gankers pause, because they might not be able to carry them away if they drop as loot. Dedicated gankers will however have access to DSTs and other means of getting the loot away.)
Expanded Cargohold II
 
  
Magnetic Scattering Amplifier II
+
For freighters, which have about 180-200k EHP, the benchmark value is around 1-1.5B ISK. As your cargo value exceeds this range, combined with traveling through systems with a security status in the 0.5-0.6 range, it becomes more and more likely that someone will gank you for your cargo value. This is a bit of a fuzzy rule of thumb, and in the quieter portions of the galaxy with routes that take you only through 0.8 and above systems, you can get away with hauling higher value cargo loads for a very long time.
Heat Dissipation Amplifier II
 
Medium Shield Extender II
 
Medium Shield Extender II
 
Medium Shield Extender II
 
  
[empty high slot]
+
When you have expensive cargo above 1B ISK to be moved in a freighter, you could consider double-wrapping it (create courier contract for some other alt of yours and then create another courier contract from this alt to actual freighter pilot). It will hide the contents of this package, but some gankers tend to gank double wrapped transports without knowing what is inside, so most people (including hauling corporations) consider this to be increasing the risk rather than decreasing it. Also, most Hauling corporations will not accept double wrapped contracts any more, due to them not being able to be sub-contracted between characters - do not do this for hauling jobs you intend to contract out.
[empty high slot]
 
  
Medium Core Defence Field Extender I
+
==== Know your route ====
Medium Core Defence Field Extender I
+
Your best friend as a hauler in high-security space is knowledge of the local terrain. Which systems tend to be camped by gank parties. Which systems see frequent kills of haulers? Where are you likely to be cargo/ship scanned? What is the security status of the systems along the route?
Medium Core Defence Field Extender I</pre>
 
  
This one has both more EHP and more cargo. You can swap 2 expanders for more tanking mods for the same cargo with even more EHP if desired. 2 T2 invulnerability fields add an additional 5k ehp, and overheating them give 4k more on top of that.
+
Scouting, in low-security or null-security space, is a must-do if you are carrying anything expensive, or are not flying a blockade runner. In low-security space, a well-flown blockade runner is almost impossible to catch and it can usually get past most null-sec bubble camps.
  
=== Iteron V, General Hauling ===
+
A useful in-game channel is Gank-Intel where the hauling community often shares info about frequently traveled routes. Asking about the current situation in there before embarking on a high value contract through a dangerous area can be invaluable.
  
(Scrapyard Bob)
+
==== Instant dock/undock bookmarks ====
[Iteron Mark V, 38.4k m3, 14.8k EHP]
+
Busier market hub stations (such as Jita CNAP 4-4) will have people camping the undock 24x7, waiting for you to undock with something shiny in the cargo hold. Your #1 defense against this is to prepare an [[Bookmark#Common uses|instaundock bookmark]] ahead of time.
<pre>5x Expanded Cargohold II
 
  
2x Invulnerability Field II
+
A good bookmark will get you off the station undock and out to a safe-spot before anyone has time to lock you, scan you and gank you. They are a must-have for Blockade Runners and rather important for the slower-aligning ships like Orcas and Freighters.
3x Medium Shield Extender II
 
  
1x Salvager I
+
Instant docks are also essential. Occasionally when auto-docking, the game will place you outside the immediate docking radius, and you will need to slow boat into the docking radius. This is particularly problematic at Jita 4-4, where entering from Perimeter (one of the most common entry systems) will place you at the back of the station if using the "Dock" command. Several gankers make an excellent living from sitting at this area, and picking off lazy Blockade Runner pilots. Setting an Instant-Dock right as you exit the station means you are assured to warp within the docking radius and prevent an easy kill for a ganker.
1x Small Tractor Beam I
 
  
3x Medium Cargohold Optimization I</pre>
+
==== Use a contractor ====
 +
The large hauling corporations all use contractor alts to assure op-sec. Essentially this means that one character accepts the contract, then sub-contracts it to the actual hauler, who carries the package, and then contracts it back the contractor who then completes the contract. This means that:
 +
* Without scanning every ship, no-one (neither the contract's originator nor anyone watching the contract system) can tell which Character is hauling the package - making ganking a specific contract more difficult
 +
* As the identity (and corporation) of the actual hauler is not known, wardecs are less effective
  
Adding a Damage Control II will boost it to 18k EHP but you'll only have 30.1k m3 of cargo space.
+
While not strictly necessary for private haulers, this added security can sometimes be useful
  
=== Iteron V, Mining Support ===
+
==== Other tips and tricks ====
 +
Do not be predictable in your hauling of expensive items. Vary the time of day. Vary the route that you use. Change your ship name frequently.
  
(Scrapyard Bob)
+
== Hauling corporations ==
This is a real pain to fit, so you're going to have to play around with shield extenders that aren't Tech II. With level V skills, you can fit T2 shield extenders. Afterburner version is recommended for mining ops support.
+
There are several organisations in EVE which act as dedicated Hauling companies. They tend to be more reliable, more willing to take on unusual or high value requests, but also more expensive than the public contracts channel.
  
[Iteron Mark V, Afterburner, 38.4k m^3, 10k EHP]
+
Characters in EVE can use these corporations either for their own hauling needs, or consider joining them to get access to exclusive, high value contracts. If you are considering hauling as a career, the best way to make money is as part of one of these corporations.
<pre>5x Expanded Cargohold II
 
  
1x Y-S8 Hydrocarbon I Afterburners
+
While not an exhaustive list, some of the most common (in no particular order) include:
2x Invulnerability Field II
 
1x Medium Azeotropic Ward Salubrity I
 
1x Medium Shield Extender II
 
  
1x Salvager I
+
* [https://red-frog.org Red Frog Freight]
1x Small Tractor Beam I
+
* [https://www.pushx.net/ Push X]
  
3x Medium Cargohold Optimization I</pre>
+
== Hauler roles ==
  
= Hauler Roles =
+
=== Market hauling ===
 +
[[Trading#Hauling|Speculative hauling]] is one way to make money from the market that's fairly easy to get into for a new player
  
TODO
+
=== Alt hauling ===
 +
Setting up an [[Creating an Alt Hauler|alt hauler]] can be very useful to ship goods around during wartime when your main can't fly a hauler ship.
  
Jump Freighters and Blockade Runners should be the only things hauling stuff in or out of null sec.
+
=== Courier hauling ===
 +
If you have a high amount of ISK to devote to collateral, courier contract hauling can be a very good way to make ISK for haulers, given that you have a freighter or jump freighter to haul around the usually large quantities of contracted goods. One billion ISK (1,000,000,000 ISK) is a good estimate of how much money you will need to get started taking courier hauling.
  
== Mining Assistance ==
+
A courier hauler can make a lot of ISK, but it's not without risk. Ganking is one problem, contract scams are another. It's always a good idea to check the contract history of an unknown contractor before accepting anything. This information can be found by opening the 'info' window of a player, clicking the three lines in the top left corner, and selecting 'Show Contracts'.
  
If you're using your hauler in a mining operation (without an Orca), consider fitting a tractor beam to bring cans to you faster, as well as a salvager to make something of the inevitable rat wrecks. You could also fit a mining laser, but even a good one with pilot skills won't be getting much more than 100 m^3 per minute.
+
If you do not have docking permissions at the player-owned structure you are delivering to be aware that you can still make the delivery. You can warp to the structure, right-click and open a "transfer" window to move cargo from your ship to your item hangar in the dock-blocked structure. Before this transfer option was added a common scam was disabling docking permission after contract acceptance.
  
== Other ==
+
Another type of scam contract that appears less suspicious at a first glance involves a valuable package and overpriced collateral. These contracts are designed to make the hauler a tempting target for random gankers so the contractor can cash in on the overpriced collateral. They can be spotted by a contract history of sending the same package (same size) back and forth between two systems along a dangerous route. It could for example be between Amarr and Dodixie, which will take the hauler through both Niarja and Uedama which are both infamous for the amount of high-sec ganking going on there. For more information on scams involving courier contracts, see the page on [[Scams in EVE Online#Contract Scams|scams in EVE]].
  
TODO
+
=== Mining assistance ===
What other roles can haulers fulfill?
+
If you're using your hauler in a mining operation (without an Orca), consider fitting a tractor beam to bring cans to you faster, as well as a salvager to make something of the inevitable rat wrecks. In addition, putting out a Mobile Tractor Unit can make it easy to pick up cans from other miners and then haul them to station (''Make sure to have your drones on passive!''). You could also fit a mining laser, but even a good one with pilot skills won't be getting much more than 100 {{m3}} per minute.
  
= References =
+
=== Other ===
 +
Haulers can also be used to make ISK via missioning, as described for [[Making Money with Hauling - Level 4 Cargo Missions|Level 4 Cargo Missions]].
  
[http://www.eve-ivy.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=26392 Forum thread on hauling skills and haulers]
+
[[Category:Hauling| ]]
[http://www.eve-ivy.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=10363&p=257187#p257187 Iterons and Suicide Ganking discussion]
+
[[Category:Industry]]

Latest revision as of 00:52, 21 August 2024

Hauling is the practice of moving cargo from one place to another. Due to limited cargo hold sizes and travel times, moving things in EVE can be a time consuming and, in some places, dangerous business. Some players specialize in hauling, whether to move goods from one market to another or to bring supplies and ships to the staging ground for a null sec alliance. This can be done for its own purposes or can be done on behalf of others in exchange for ISK rewards via the contracting system. This can be a very viable way to make ISK for medium-skilled players.

This page describes how to carry cargo (hauling) in EVE. For specific advice on moving your own items, see moving your items.

Hauling craft

There are a few classes of ships designed for hauling. Each fills a type of niche, and what ship to use depends on the type of hauling.

Haulers

Main article: Haulers

The first hauling ships a player can use are Tech 1 Haulers. These are relatively cheap and fast and can haul a moderate amount of cargo. They are however also very fragile and can be destroyed by just one ganker if the cargo they carry is valuable enough. These ships can be sorted into three different classes:

  • Fast transports, which are used to move low-volume, high-value goods quickly and safely.
  • Bulk transports, which have a much higher capacity than the fast transports, but are slower and have less tank
  • Specialized transports, which are similar to bulk transports in terms of tank and agility, but have very large cargoholds that can carry only one type of item (such as ammunition or minerals)

Haulers have the lowest skill requirements of all hauling craft. Even alpha clones can fly them, though they can only train the Spaceship Command skills to level I.

Blockade Runners

Main article: Blockade Runners

Blockade runners are Tech 2 haulers. They are the fastest and most agile hauling ship by quite a margin. They can align as quickly as a frigate, are some of the fastest ships in EVE at warp speeds, and even at sub-light speeds they can fly as quickly as a fast cruiser. Additionally, they can fit covert ops cloaking devices (and hence can warp while cloaked). This means that the only real danger to a properly fitted and flown blockade runner are the warp disruption bubbles in nullsec and w-space. With "The Great Escape" update, released May 18, 2021, Blockade Runners are at least somewhat protected from these, as well, by fitting an Interdiction Nullifier.

They can carry a little less cargo than the Tech 1 fast transports, but can be fitted to carry up to about 10,000 m3 of cargo (enough to carry a packaged cruisers) at the cost of reduced agility and/or speed.

Deep Space Transports

Main article: Deep Space Transports

Deep Space Transports (DSTs) are tech 2 haulers with larger cargo capacities than their tech 1 equivalents and fleet hangars that hold 50,000 m3 (increased by skills). They have bonuses to active tanking, either shield resistances or armor resistances, helping them to fit substantial buffer tanks. Finally, they get a unique role bonus of 100% to overheating benefits of Afterburners, Microwarpdrives, Local Repair Modules, and Resistance Modules.

They also have a role bonus of +2 warp strength: this means they can't be tackled by just one warp disruptor or non-faction warp scrambler, though they can still be caught by bubbles, gangs of tacklers, or HICs. The Great Escape update gave Deep Space Transports the ability to fit an Interdiction Nullifier, giving temporary immunity to interdiction bubbles.

Where blockade runners are meant to rely on speed and stealth to slip by the enemy, deep space transports are designed to bust their way through the enemy, relying on their warp strength and tanking abilities to escape. This probably won't work against a determined and well-prepared gatecamp, and using a deep space transport indicates to all and sundry that you have cargo you want to protect, so you should think carefully before deploying one.

Freighters

Main article: Freighters

Freighters are the ultimate cargo carrying ships, with vast cargo holds. They are often seen flying between high sec trading hubs. All freighters have no high, mid, or rig slots but do have 3 low slots, with restrictive CPU and powergrid to limit the available modules with a role bonus to Reinforced Bulkheads. Freighters also can use Inertial Stabilizers and Nanofiber Internal Structures to increase their agility. Otherwise, a freighter pilot's only other way of enhancing their ship's performance is via hardwiring implants.

Use Freighters for huge cargo through high sec and very short distances into low sec. These require proper support (someone to web for faster aligns, scouts, preferably some EW).

The four Tech 1 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 -- organised and prepared groups of gankers can and do kill freighters.

All four freighters get 5% bonuses to cargo capacity and velocity per level of their pilot's racial freighter skill (Amarr Freighter, Gallente Freighter, and so on). Since you must train the freighter skill to at least level 1, the base capacity of the ship is only used to calculate the actual capacity. It is worth noting that the Caldari freighters with Caldari Freighter IV can hold more than any other freighter, even with their respective freighter skills trained to 5.

Jump Freighters

Main article: Jump Freighters

The Tech 2 versions of freighters, jump freighters, have a reduced cargo capacity but are capable of using cynosural fields to jump long distances. They are also able to use stargates like normal ships. (Since cynosural fields cannot be lit in highsec, jump freighters traveling in highsec have to use stargates.) This makes them ideal supply ships for people who live in nullsec.

Jump Freighters are used to carry cargo from the high/low sec border to wherever it is needed in null sec and back again. Caldari freighters are the largest, closely followed by Gallente, then Amarr and lastly Minmatar, which is partially compensated for by lower fuel use. The difference is not large though.

Jump freighters have much larger potential tanks than Tech 1 freighters when properly fit, but at the cost of a much reduced cargo bay. All jump freighters can exceed 500,000 EHP in tank, which makes ganking them in highsec extraordinarily difficult and expensive.

Orca

The OREOrca offers 5 different cargo holds:

  • 30,000 m³ Cargo Hold which can be extended to 90,000+ m³ with skills and modules
  • 200 m³ Drone Bay which hold just drones
  • 40,000 m³ Fleet Hangar which can also hold assembled ships
  • 400,000 m³ Ship Maintenance Bay for assembled ships
  • 150,000 m³ Mining Hold for unrefined mining goods, with additional bonus due to ship skills (Mining, Ice harvesting)

All holds, hangars and bays except the Drone Bay can be scanned by a Cargo Scanner. However, due to how cargo scanners work, modules fitted to ships in the Ship Maintenance Bay are not detectable by scanning.

However, the Orca requires a completely different skill set than most haulers. After the Odyssey skill changes, it will take 18d 19h 6m to train. This is a significant cut in training time from the old requirements pre-Odyssey.

Other options

There are situations where a small fast craft is better than a big lumbering beast. These include moving blueprints or other small volume, high value cargo. The best options at this size are nullified travel-fit Interceptors (so-called travel-ceptors), Covert Ops Frigates, and (for highsec/lowsec) the Hecate with a sub-1s align time fit. These can provide near-perfect safety if handled correctly.

As an alternative, a shuttle (all areas of space) or a fast T1 frigate (in highsec and lowsec) will work as well, but they are more susceptible to smartbombing gatecamps. Tactical bookmarks on-grid with gates ("perches") and insta-dock/insta-undock bookmarks can mitigate this risk considerably. (See Bookmark for an more in-depth explanation.)

The Society of Conscious ThoughtSunesis is a special edition destroyer that is given out to all Omega pilots once a year. Various fitting options exist, with a sub-2s fit able to hold 1200  m3 without any expensive faction modules. It is an easily accessible and cheap option for highsec and lowsec and can be used by Alpha players as well.

A Intaki SyndicateVictorieux Luxury Yacht can warp cloaked, ignores nullsec bubbles if fitted with an interdiction nullifier, can be fit with enough tank to survive smartbombs, and has very decent align time and warp speed. That is another good option for moving high-value, low-volume cargo.

Faction comparison

Amarr have the largest capacity T1 Haulers but otherwise tend to be outperformed by other races. Minmatar haulers tend to align and fly slightly faster than other factions, but don't sacrifice cargo or tank to do it, making them arguably the best haulers overall. Caldari have the largest capacity freighters, and unquestionably the tankiest T1 haulers. The specialized Gallente T1 haulers (and to a lesser extent the Minmatar ammo hauler) are extremely convenient if you regularly haul ore/minerals/PI/ammo.

To maximize flexibility, it's recommended that all new haulers train Gallente and Minmatar haulers to at least 3, and from there decide which race to train to 5 depending on what exactly it is you want to do.

Hauler type comparison

The best hauler is situational; it depends on where you are (high, low, null/WH/Pochven) combined with how large and valuable the cargo is. For example, using an Occator (DST) to move a cargo small enough to fit in a Viator (BR) is sub-optimal, as is using a Viator to move large amounts of tritanium around in high sec when you could use a Kryos (T1 hauler specialised for minerals) instead.

Below are the optimal ships for each task, assuming that the area that you're going to or through is not a place where it's clearly a bad idea to bring such a ship type and that the cargo value is low enough to be within the recommended limits (in highsec). This does not mean that only these ships can or should be used. (For negligible-volume hauling for example, a Shuttle will do fine in all areas of space, but using an interceptor is better because it gives you more protection against smartbombing gatecamps.) But if training up a toon specifically for hauling duties, these are good goals to work toward.

  • Cargo with near-negligible volume: Interceptor or Cov-Ops Frigate (anywhere), sub-1s Hecate (highsec/lowsec)
  • Up to 1,200  m3 in highsec/lowsec: sub-2s Sunesis
  • Up to 10,000  m3 (packaged cruiser size) anywhere: Blockade Runner
  • Low-value cargo up to 15,000  m3 (packaged battlecruiser size) anywhere: Fast T1 Hauler
  • Low-value cargo up to 30,000  m3 (two packaged battlecruisers size) in highsec: Bulk T1 Hauler, specialised T1 Haulers
  • Medium-value cargo up to 60,000  m3 (packaged battleship size): Deep Space Transport (anywhere) (if Jump Freighter is not [yet] an option), Orca (highsec)
  • High-value cargo beyond 10,000  m3 in highsec: Blockade Runner doing several trips (even if you may get the job done faster with a DST, getting it there slowly is better than not getting it there at all due to being ganked)
  • Huge cargo above ~60k  m3 and below ~300k  m3 anywhere: Jump Freighter (aligns faster than a Freighter and has more tank)
  • Huge cargo above ~300k  m3 anywhere: Freighter (requires escort in low and null, is easily caught by bubbles/gatecamps), Jump Freighter doing several trips

Comparison table for cargo ships

Name Level Faction Cargo
Velocity
m/sec
Inertia Warp
AUs
Shield
HP
Armor
HP
Hull
HP
Extra
Sigil T1 Amarr 2100 125 0.86 4.5 780 1900 2400
Bestower T1 Amarr 4800 110 0.95 3 450 850 940
Badger T1 Caldari 3900 127 0.84 4.5 1440 750 2060
Tayra T1 Caldari 7300 115 0.97 3 1100 550 810
Wreathe T1 Minmatar 2900 140 0.81 4.5 1140 1000 2900
Hoarder T1 Minmatar 500 130 0.85 3 840 800 1200 41000 ammo
Mammoth T1 Minmatar 5500 120 0.91 3 640 600 935
Nereus T1 Gallente 2700 130 0.78 4.5 960 1050 2600
Kryos T1 Gallente 550 120 0.92 3 600 700 970 50000 minerals + 30000 ice
Epithal T1 Gallente 550 120 0.9 3 580 740 1000 45000 comodities
Miasmos T1 Gallente 550 120 0.94 3 590 710 950 42000 ore
Iteron Mark V T1 Gallente 5800 105 0.87 3 540 650 970
Prorator T2 Amarr 2900 170 0.52 6 800 2000 2100 cloaked
Crane T2 Caldari 4300 160 0.51 6 2100 1000 1900 cloaked
Viator T2 Gallente 3600 165 0.54 6 1000 1700 2700 cloaked
Prowler T2 Minmatar 3500 220 0.485 6 1500 1500 1700 cloaked
Impel T2 Amarr 3100 90 1.0 3.3 2000 4300 4500 50000 hangar
Bustard T2 Caldari 5000 80 1.0 3.3 4300 2300 4000 50000 hangar
Occator T2 Gallente 3900 110 1.0 3.3 2400 4000 5000 50000 hangar
Mastodon T2 Minmatar 4500 120 1.0 3.3 4000 2800 3100 50000 hangar
Providence T1 Amarr 435000 70 0.063 1.37 10000 46000 100000 freighter
Charon T1 Caldari 465000 60 0.063 1.37 50000 15000 77500 freighter
Obelisk T1 Gallente 440000 65 0.063 1.37 14000 40000 110000 freighter
Fenrir T1 Minmatar 435000 80 0.063 1.37 48000 22000 65000 freighter
Ark T2 Amarr 135000 84 0.055 1.5 12000 55200 120000 jump
Rhea T2 Caldari 144000 72 0.055 1.5 60000 18000 93000 jump
Anshar T2 Gallente 137500 78 0.055 1.5 16800 48000 132000 jump
Nomad T2 Minmatar 132000 96 0.055 1.5 57600 26400 78000 jump
IndustrialShipWarpvsCargo-r1.2021.07.26.png

Hauling skills

Ship flying skills

  • Warp Drive Operation: Helps with long warps. Each skill level reduces the capacitor need of initiating warp by 10%.
  • Spaceship Command: Reduces align time. 2% improved ship agility for all ships per skill level.
  • Advanced Spaceship Command: May reduce align time. Grants a 5% Bonus per skill level to the agility of ships requiring Advanced Spaceship Command
  • Evasive Maneuvering: Increases ship agility and acceleration. 5% improved ship agility for all ships per skill level.

Tanking skills

Generally useful skills:

  • Shield Management: 5% extra shields per level
  • Shield Operation: 5% reduction in shield recharge time per level; level IV allows use of T2 shield boosters
  • Shield Upgrades: 5% reduction in shield upgrade powergrid needs per level; level IV allows use of T2 shield extenders and rechargers
  • <type-specific> Shield Compensation: 5% bonus per level for passive hardeners

Recommendation:

  • Get Shield Management and Shield Operation at least to IV

Particularly useful modules:

Fitting considerations for hauling ships

The best form of tanking for haulers is not getting caught in the first place. This is especially true outside of highsec: the amount of tank in lowsec/nullsec/WH/Pochven rarely makes a difference to the outcome, because a well set up gatecamp can just spend more time getting through your ship's HP or call in reinforcements from nearby friendly pilots, while in highsec the response time of CONCORD puts an upper limit to the engagement duration. Still, fitting for maximum tank after the other crucial modules are taken care of can work against less experienced and/or single pilot attackers, giving you enough time to escape tackle, rely on damage to the attacker's ship by lowsec gate guns, or successfully burn back to the gate and jump back through. (The latter won't be an option if you used any aggressive action on your part, such as activating a Burst Jammer module, because of your own weapons timer.)

In all areas where warp disruption bubbles may be used (nullsec, WH space, Pochven), fitting an Interdiction Nullifier module is strongly recommended; other less-optimal options are shuttles (small cargospace, vulnerable to smartbombing gatecamps, but inherently immune to bubbles), frigates fitted for high on-grid speed (to escape from both bubbles and enemy tacklers), and cov-ops cloak capable ships such as the Sisters of EVEAstero and Stealth Bombers that can not fit the Interdiction Nullifier modules (but can by virtue of their cov-ops cloaking device move without speed penalty while cloaked).

Blockade runners rely on good bookmarks, crafty use of their Covert Ops Cloak, and not fitting anything that would increase the signature radius (no shield extenders). Due to their use of a covops cloak, well-flown blockade runners can be almost impossible to catch in highsec and lowsec. They are thus a good choice for more expensive cargo runs, but being very flimsy can easily get ganked if left uncloaked at a gate or while slow-boating from outside the docking ring of a station.

For low-volume hauling, a ship that is fitted to align in less than 2 seconds (see Instant align for details) offers a fairly high level of protection against being intercepted by targeted warp disruption, with the added benefit that the risk your cargo is successfully scanned is also reduced. Warp disruption bubbles are still a concern however. In highsec and lowsec, the sub-1s Hecate is truly uncatchable if piloted correctly (and no game disconnects occur). For higher volumes of cargo, fit the ship to use the Cloak trick wherever possible (always on Deep Space Transports), and consider warp core stabilisers as an option if you have fitting slots to spare (highly recommended for Deep Space Transports once more, due to their innate warp core strength bonus). Outside of highsec, having a Burst Jammer module and Hornet EC-300 drones (on the few ships commonly used for hauling that have a drone bay) can work as a last-ditch effort to get yourself free from a gatecamp. Note that the Burst Jammer modules interfere with Interdiction Nullifiers, and their use in highsec is strongly discouraged due to the risk of accidentially hitting a neutral target and getting "CONCORDed".

Fitting an appropriate tank for highsec hauling

The more EHP that you have, the harder it is for the attacker to blow up your ship and steal your stuff. The calculations regarding how many ships a ganker will need to use (and lose to CONCORD) to successfully destroy your ship compared to how much value the dropped cargo will likely be are a deciding factor in most highsec ganks. Considering that a cheap T1 gank ship like the GallenteCatalyst can cost as little as 2m ISK fully fitted, a common rule of thumb is to limit the value of the carried cargo plus the modules (but not rigs) fitted to the ship to less than 3000 ISK per EHP (3 million ISK per 1k EHP).

There are several types of tanking: buffer tanking, (shield) passive tanking and active tanking. For movements within highsec, the buffer tank is most common, as the goal is to survive the alpha strike (initial volley) of the attacking gankers and remain alive long enough for CONCORD to come and destroy the attackers. Some buffer tanks are entirely passive (no active modules), while others include active resistance modules. The active modules must be turned on after every jump; remapping them to the F1-F8 keys makes this more convenient. Still, relying on active modules for a significant part of your overall EHP carries with it the risk that you forget to turn them on in the heat of the moment.

T1 haulers ships are most often shield tanked to allow the low slots to be used for Expanded Cargohold modules. You will want to fit as many medium/large shield extenders into the mid slots as possible. This should be balanced with shoring up your weak EM/thermal resist holes using Multispectrum Shield Hardener modules or Shield Resist Amplifier modules (Kinetic Shield Amplifiers in case of a fit designed specifically against the common hybrid turret Catalysts used in ganking). In cases where you need more EHP and can sacrifice cargo space, consider adding a Damage Control Unit II module, Reinforced Bulkheads, or armor resist modules. A poorly fit T1 hauler will only have 4k to 6k EHP, a well fit T1 hauler can have 10k to 20k EHP without sacrificing too much cargo space.

Visibly active tanking (most notably the Multispectrum Shield Hardener) might discourage ganking by the discriminating ganker, but your capacitor will not allow you to keep them running at all times. Remember to turn them on when you align out of a gate and to turn them off once you are in warp. Turning them back on when you land at your destination gate is optional, but having them active as you land at a busy station like a trade hub is recommended.

Shield tanking skills are key for the above, followed by the ability to use a Damage Control II and Multispectrum Shield Hardener II. After that, armor tanking can be considered, but that takes away cargo space quickly as you use up low slots with armor plates/hardeners instead of Expanded Cargohold modules. Note that Tech 2 Deep Space Transports and specialized Gallente haulers like the GallenteMiasmos, GallenteEpithal or GallenteKryos are mostly useful for their specialized holds which are unaffected by Expanded Cargohold modules. These ships can, and should, be fitted with tanking, agility, or warp speed low slot modules, making armour tanked Deep Space Transports like the AmarrImpel a common sight.

For Orcas, the standard fit is a Damage Control II and Reinforced Bulkhead II in the low slots and three Large Transverse Bulkhead II rigs. This takes your ship from about 150k EHP up to about 420k EHP. The addition of some passive shield resistance amplifiers (2x EM, 1x Kinetic, 1x Thermal) will increase the EHP to about 450k even at low shield skills. Replacing the passive Amplifiers with active Hardeners adds another bit of EHP but requires more attention. Using Cargo rigs is discouraged since you lose about 170k EHP for a low amount of additional cargohold. You should train Hull Upgrades IV and Mechanics IV (or better V) before undocking. Being able to use a Damage Control II gives a nice EHP boost, and since you are almost fully hull-tank, the extra 5% from Mechanics V are also very nice. You should also consider using a Inherent Implants 'Noble' MC (Slot 8) which increases hull HP by anything from 1% up to 6%.

Freighters and Jump Freighters have three low slots and can fit any combination of cargohold expanders, Nanofiber Internal Structures, Inertia Stabilizers, Reinforced Bulkheads, warp speed modules, and (in the case of Jump Freighters) fuel-use reducing modules. How you fit a Freighter for highsec hauling will depend on the size of the cargo: it is strongly recommended to fit Reinforced Bulkheads whenever possible and to not fit cargohold expanders unless absolutely necessary, as the expanders will reduce your overall tank substantially. For Jump Freighters, the appropriate fit is highly dependent on which part of a typical hauling journey you are in. Pilots for both Freighters and Jump Freighters will almost always carry a full set of modules for refitting to another setup in their cargohold.

Avoiding ganking

When hauling, you should remember the following guidelines to avoid being ganked:

  • Don't fly when wardecced
  • Don't fly AFK using the autopilot
  • Fit your hauler well & use the right ship
  • Don't haul expensive cargo in a flimsy ship
  • Know your route, and know the most dangerous ganking spots
  • Use undock bookmarks at busy stations
  • Consider using a contractor
  • Other tips and tricks

For further information consider reading Suicide ganking for detailed ganking and anti-ganking strategies for haulers

Wardecced corp

Never fly a Hauler ship (especially not freighters/jump freighters loaded with lots of cargo) when your corp is wardecced. You will become easy prey and will quickly get turned into ashes, together with your expensive cargo. If you need to haul during a wardec, drop the wardecced corp temporarily and fly under an NPC corp, or use an out-of corp hauler: Creating an Alt Hauler

AFK hauling

Flying AFK using autopilot is the #1 way that most haulers lose their ships. When you use the autopilot to fly you to your destination, it warps you to 15km from the next gate then you slowly approach the gate at 100-200 m/s (slower in a Freighter). At a minimum, this leaves you exposed for about a minute per gate and gives any potential attacker time to scan your ship, scan your cargo, then get ahead of you and setup a gank party. At worst, it gives you time to be bumped and ganked right there.

If you must fly AFK, know your route, keep your cargo value very low, and fit as much buffer tank as possible. There are areas of space where flying AFK is reasonably safe, but the longer you do it, the higher the chances that someone will notice the pattern and try to take advantage of it.

Use the right ship & fit your ship well

Use the information in the other sections to make an informed decision on which ship to use, and what an appropriate fit for the intended journey is. Many ganks happen because a player is using an under-tanked or inappropriate ship for the job or has not considered the dangers along the route and at the destination. Remember: Both using evasion and fitting a tank to your ship counts as "tanking". Don't be tempted to haul expensive faction BPCs to a trade hub in a bulk T1 Hauler because you're already in that ship anyway to pick up Tritanium for your other industry jobs, do a separate trip for those in a fast-align ship.

Expensive cargo

In the case of a "suicide" gank, the goal of the attacker is to trade their ship for your cargo. They do this by knowing how much ISK they will lose when their ship gets blown up by CONCORD and how much ISK your cargo is worth. Therefore your defense against a profit-minded attacker is to raise their costs while keeping the value of your cargo below the attacker's break-even point.

With the commonly used 3M ISK per 1k EHP guideline, if your ship has 8k EHP, you should not be carrying more than 24M ISK worth of cargo and fit modules per trip. The more that you exceed that ISK/EHP value, the more likely you are to get ganked. However, you can often get away with 4M-6M ISK per 1k EHP if you know your route, do not auto-pilot, and know the key risk factors.

Another alternative is the 50 million ISK maximum collateral for T1 haulers used by several hauling corporations. They will haul cargo up to 50,000,000 ISK and 17,000  m3 in size using T1 haulers. This indicates what they consider to be safe for high sec hauling in that type of ship.

Key risk factors (which raise/lower the ISK/EHP calculation):

  • System security
  • Location (some systems are frequently camped)
  • AFK traveling
  • How shiny your cargo is, and how easy it will be to carry the loot away (Having most of your value in large items such as repackaged hulls can give some less-well-set-up gankers pause, because they might not be able to carry them away if they drop as loot. Dedicated gankers will however have access to DSTs and other means of getting the loot away.)

For freighters, which have about 180-200k EHP, the benchmark value is around 1-1.5B ISK. As your cargo value exceeds this range, combined with traveling through systems with a security status in the 0.5-0.6 range, it becomes more and more likely that someone will gank you for your cargo value. This is a bit of a fuzzy rule of thumb, and in the quieter portions of the galaxy with routes that take you only through 0.8 and above systems, you can get away with hauling higher value cargo loads for a very long time.

When you have expensive cargo above 1B ISK to be moved in a freighter, you could consider double-wrapping it (create courier contract for some other alt of yours and then create another courier contract from this alt to actual freighter pilot). It will hide the contents of this package, but some gankers tend to gank double wrapped transports without knowing what is inside, so most people (including hauling corporations) consider this to be increasing the risk rather than decreasing it. Also, most Hauling corporations will not accept double wrapped contracts any more, due to them not being able to be sub-contracted between characters - do not do this for hauling jobs you intend to contract out.

Know your route

Your best friend as a hauler in high-security space is knowledge of the local terrain. Which systems tend to be camped by gank parties. Which systems see frequent kills of haulers? Where are you likely to be cargo/ship scanned? What is the security status of the systems along the route?

Scouting, in low-security or null-security space, is a must-do if you are carrying anything expensive, or are not flying a blockade runner. In low-security space, a well-flown blockade runner is almost impossible to catch and it can usually get past most null-sec bubble camps.

A useful in-game channel is Gank-Intel where the hauling community often shares info about frequently traveled routes. Asking about the current situation in there before embarking on a high value contract through a dangerous area can be invaluable.

Instant dock/undock bookmarks

Busier market hub stations (such as Jita CNAP 4-4) will have people camping the undock 24x7, waiting for you to undock with something shiny in the cargo hold. Your #1 defense against this is to prepare an instaundock bookmark ahead of time.

A good bookmark will get you off the station undock and out to a safe-spot before anyone has time to lock you, scan you and gank you. They are a must-have for Blockade Runners and rather important for the slower-aligning ships like Orcas and Freighters.

Instant docks are also essential. Occasionally when auto-docking, the game will place you outside the immediate docking radius, and you will need to slow boat into the docking radius. This is particularly problematic at Jita 4-4, where entering from Perimeter (one of the most common entry systems) will place you at the back of the station if using the "Dock" command. Several gankers make an excellent living from sitting at this area, and picking off lazy Blockade Runner pilots. Setting an Instant-Dock right as you exit the station means you are assured to warp within the docking radius and prevent an easy kill for a ganker.

Use a contractor

The large hauling corporations all use contractor alts to assure op-sec. Essentially this means that one character accepts the contract, then sub-contracts it to the actual hauler, who carries the package, and then contracts it back the contractor who then completes the contract. This means that:

  • Without scanning every ship, no-one (neither the contract's originator nor anyone watching the contract system) can tell which Character is hauling the package - making ganking a specific contract more difficult
  • As the identity (and corporation) of the actual hauler is not known, wardecs are less effective

While not strictly necessary for private haulers, this added security can sometimes be useful

Other tips and tricks

Do not be predictable in your hauling of expensive items. Vary the time of day. Vary the route that you use. Change your ship name frequently.

Hauling corporations

There are several organisations in EVE which act as dedicated Hauling companies. They tend to be more reliable, more willing to take on unusual or high value requests, but also more expensive than the public contracts channel.

Characters in EVE can use these corporations either for their own hauling needs, or consider joining them to get access to exclusive, high value contracts. If you are considering hauling as a career, the best way to make money is as part of one of these corporations.

While not an exhaustive list, some of the most common (in no particular order) include:

Hauler roles

Market hauling

Speculative hauling is one way to make money from the market that's fairly easy to get into for a new player

Alt hauling

Setting up an alt hauler can be very useful to ship goods around during wartime when your main can't fly a hauler ship.

Courier hauling

If you have a high amount of ISK to devote to collateral, courier contract hauling can be a very good way to make ISK for haulers, given that you have a freighter or jump freighter to haul around the usually large quantities of contracted goods. One billion ISK (1,000,000,000 ISK) is a good estimate of how much money you will need to get started taking courier hauling.

A courier hauler can make a lot of ISK, but it's not without risk. Ganking is one problem, contract scams are another. It's always a good idea to check the contract history of an unknown contractor before accepting anything. This information can be found by opening the 'info' window of a player, clicking the three lines in the top left corner, and selecting 'Show Contracts'.

If you do not have docking permissions at the player-owned structure you are delivering to be aware that you can still make the delivery. You can warp to the structure, right-click and open a "transfer" window to move cargo from your ship to your item hangar in the dock-blocked structure. Before this transfer option was added a common scam was disabling docking permission after contract acceptance.

Another type of scam contract that appears less suspicious at a first glance involves a valuable package and overpriced collateral. These contracts are designed to make the hauler a tempting target for random gankers so the contractor can cash in on the overpriced collateral. They can be spotted by a contract history of sending the same package (same size) back and forth between two systems along a dangerous route. It could for example be between Amarr and Dodixie, which will take the hauler through both Niarja and Uedama which are both infamous for the amount of high-sec ganking going on there. For more information on scams involving courier contracts, see the page on scams in EVE.

Mining assistance

If you're using your hauler in a mining operation (without an Orca), consider fitting a tractor beam to bring cans to you faster, as well as a salvager to make something of the inevitable rat wrecks. In addition, putting out a Mobile Tractor Unit can make it easy to pick up cans from other miners and then haul them to station (Make sure to have your drones on passive!). You could also fit a mining laser, but even a good one with pilot skills won't be getting much more than 100  m3 per minute.

Other

Haulers can also be used to make ISK via missioning, as described for Level 4 Cargo Missions.