Trading

Until recently trading was just about the only way to make money. Although there are now other options, trading cargo widgets is still the most profitable means of acquiring your own personal fortune. The basics of trading is a simple concept. You buy cargo at a low price and sell it someplace else for a higher price. Easier said than done. Discovering a good route can be a long process, but the rewards are well worth it. One simple way is to load your ship up with as many single cargo widgets as you can fit. Ships like the Centaur can hold up to 48 different types of cargo allowing you to carry many types of cargo. Don't give up if you don't find a good route right away.

So You Have A Route

Now that you have a route its time to exploit it and get as much money as you can from it. If you already have a decent amount of money (100,000cr at least) do NOT sell your cargo. Instead hit "Unload All" to leave all your cargo in the station without selling it. This is called stockpiling and is the best way to get the most from your route. If possible, try to find a profitable widget from station B to bring back to station A to gain more money. After amassing a large amount of cargo in the stations, sell them. Or, if you have money to spare, let it sit and wait for the price to rise. Be warned, other people can and most likely will find your route and sell before you do, so only wait if you are willing to go without the income for a bit.

Tips

• Mining and trading can go along very well together. For instance if you mine a rare type of ore and stockpile it in a close by station, you can transport it to another station a few systems away to make an even bigger profit. Few if anybody does this, and the result is that stations nearby the rare ore often does not sell very well.
• The news can often help you find a good route. By giving you a list of what that particular station needs you can plan ahead, keep a mental list or one on paper is better, and keep an eye out for the cargo a station needs.
• Someone has made a handy dandy site that lets you match up two stations and shows you their differences in trade goods. You can find it right around here.

Ships To Carry Your Cargo In

Ship	Revenant	Atlas	Centaur	Marauder	Behemoth
Cargo	22	32	48	48	120
Turbo	180	180	200	200	160
Weapons	2S 1L	1S 1L	1S 2L	3S	2L
Level	Trade 1	Trade 2	1/-/3/4/-	Trade 8	-/-/-/8/4

(s)= Small Port (l)= Large Port

Ships listed are the basic versions. See the ships list for full information.

• The Revenant is the perfect entry level trading ship. Enough weapons ports to keep you safe from Hive ships, and enough cargo room to get you through the basic trade missions.
• The Warthog Mineral Extractor is definitely worth a try early on in your advancement, for combined Mining and Trading, as it has 24 cu cargo space, an S & an L weapons port, and is relatively fast and agile.
• The Atlas is a decent trading ship, but once you have a Centaur you can pretty much ignore this one. It is fast and has plenty of cargo room. But often is easy prey for pirates.
• The Centaur slow and hard to move this ship has often been ignored by traders with access to the Marauder, but it does its job very well, and that job is to move large amounts of cargo in one go. The Centaur has the ability to carry two sets of mines, enough to send any pirate to their grave.
• The Marauder is the fastest cargo transport ship in the game. Its TPG variant can carry up to 48 cargo widgets, and the Tunguska 60. Although all but the Tunguska version lack L port weapons it can still fend for its self or simply speed by any pirate blockade.
• The Behemoth is yet another win for the TPG corporation. When you need to move large amounts of cargo(120cu), the Behemoth is your ship.

List of Trade Goods

This is a (hopefully complete) list of the various trade goods that can be found within the game. There is another table which sorts the trade goods by the "type of good", which contains pictures for all of the trade goods.

Trade Good	Description	Class of Goods
Advanced Logistics System	Controllers for ship systems	Ship and Station Components
Advanced Targeting Systems	Advanced weapon targeting computers	Weapon Components
Aeolus Pilot Training Unit	Training for Aeolus pilots	Consumer Goods
Agricultural Research Supplies	Assorted chemicals and other consumables for research	Research Equipment
Airlock Maintenance Supplies	For general upkeep of the station	Ship and Station Components
Amplification Module	Component of many electronics	Elekronik Supersonik
Apicene Ore	A rare asteroid composition formed only at very high temperatures	Ores (Premium and Standard)
Aquean Ore	Dirty ice, mostly H2O with trace chemicals	Ores (Premium and Standard)
Basic Research Supplies	Assorted assay bottles, spot well plates and pipettes	Research Equipment
Basic Robotic Equipment	Simple robots	Production Goods
Basic Targeting Systems	Simple and efficient weapon targeting systems	Weapon Components
Bearing Grease	Keeps machinery working smoothly	Production Goods
Betheshee Spices	Extremely aromatic spices and herbs preferred by most Serco	Comestibles and Beverages
BioCom Implants	Components for cybernetic implants	Medical Equipment
Biomedical Nanites	Used in common medical treatments	Medical Equipment
Biotechnology Research Supplies	Assorted chemicals and other consumables for research	Research Equipment
Blank DataPads	One gross of DataPads ready to be filled with useful information	Elekronik Supersonik
Carbonic Ore	Ore which is heavy in carbon compounds	Ores (Premium and Standard)
Chemical Spill Kit	Used to clean chemical spills	Industrial Goods
Civilian Textiles	Clothing for every-day wear	Consumer Goods
Combat Simulators	Training for pilots	Military Equipment
Commercial Textiles	Industrial grade fabric for use in various applications	Production Goods
Consumer Electronics	Electronic audio/visual/neural entertainment products	Consumer Goods
Consumer Robotics	Personal robotic assistant devices	Consumer Goods
Cooking Supplies	Collection of pots, pans and other cooking utensils	Consumer Goods
Coolant	Used in cooling systems	Production Goods
Cooling Systems	Weapon cooling systems	Weapon Components
Corrosive Chemicals	Industrial chemicals with corrosive properties	Industrial Goods
Corvus Holo Disks	Take exotic trips without leaving the station.	Consumer Goods
Corvus Textiles	Very fancy pants and shirts	Consumer Goods
Cybernetics Grade AA	Premium grade materials for implants	Medical Equipment
Cybernetics Grade BB	Common grade cybernetics	Medical Equipment
Cybernetics Grade EE	Industrial grade cybernetics for implants	Medical Equipment
Data Link Connectors	Component of many electronics	Elekronik Supersonik
Dau Spices	A mixture of herbs often used to season standard food rations	Comestibles and Beverages
Dau Wine	A fine wine from Dau	Comestibles and Beverages
Deneb Rum	An inexpensive intoxicant sold at most station bars	Comestibles and Beverages
Denic Ore	Rare ore found often in young solar systems	Ores (Premium and Standard)
Diagnostic Imagers	Used in basic research	Research Equipment
Divinia Spices	A special blend of spices regarded as a delicacy by many Itani	Comestibles and Beverages
Doppler Array	Component of various mineral scanners	Equipment Parts
Dried Meat	A spicy version of the jerky of Sol I	Comestibles and Beverages
Dyes	Common dyes and pigments	Production Goods
EC-Class Ship Repair Manual	Instructions for repair of ships for pilots on a small budget.	Consumer Goods
ERS Tracking Systems	Standard missile tracking computer	Weapon Components
Emergency Repair Kit	Standard kit with parts for basic ship repairs	Ship and Station Components
Energy Conversion Module	Components of various ship systems	Ship and Station Components
Engine Mounts	Holds engines in place	Ship and Station Components
Escape Hatch System	For escaping	Ship and Station Components
Exhaust Manifold	Directs engine exhaust	Ship and Station Components
External Equipment Mounts	For holding equipment	Ship and Station Components
External Thermal Couplers	Controllers for ship systems	Ship and Station Components
Extravehicular Suits	Protective suits for work done outside of a station	Consumer Goods
Ferric Ore	Ore composed mostly of iron	Ores (Premium and Standard)
Fine China	Rare antique plates	Consumer Goods
Fine Furniture	Crafted from the finest synthwoods	Consumer Goods
Fire-suppression system	Fire protection systems for ships and stations	Ship and Station Components
Fitness Equipment	Required for military training	Military Equipment
Flight Assist Control Module	Found in most ships	Ship and Station Components
Food	Mass-produced nutritional food	Comestibles and Beverages
Frequency Modulators	Component of many electronics	Elekronik Supersonik
Fresh Flowers	Fresh flowers cultivated in stations with specialized gardens	Consumer Goods
Fuel Flow Regulator	Component of ship turbo systems	Ship and Station Components
Fuel Storage Container	Component of ship turbo systems	Ship and Station Components
Guided Missile Casings	Empty tubes for weapons	Weapon Components
Gyroscopes	Used in weapon and ship construction	Equipment Parts
Heliocene Ore	Rare ore formed under intense heat and tidal forces	Ores (Premium and Standard)
Holo Disks	Visit popular vacation destinations without leaving the station	Consumer Goods
Hull Panels	Basic paneling used in the construction of ships	Ship and Station Components
Hydraulic Tappets	Components of various ship systems	Ship and Station Components
Hydrogen Ion Collector	Used in weapon and ship construction	Equipment Parts
Industrial Research Supplies	Assorted chemicals and other consumables for research	Research Equipment
Inert Chemicals	Industrial chemicals with no dangerous properties	Industrial Goods
Ineubis Automated Defense Unit	For personal safety	Consumer Goods
Ineubis Personal Defense Systems	Regarded as some of the best in the universe	Consumer Goods
Instrumentation Panel	Commonly found in most ships	Ship and Station Components
Ion Core	Primary component of most ion weapons	Weapon Components
Ishik Ore	A common asteroid composition containing lighter elements and chemical compounds	Ores (Premium and Standard)
Itani Education Disk Level M	Standard educational program used by most Itani children	Consumer Goods
Itani Education Disk Level N	Standard educational program used by most Itani children	Consumer Goods
Itani Education Disk Level O	Standard educational program used by most Itani children	Consumer Goods
Janitorial Supplies	Specialized tools for station maintenance	Ship and Station Components
LCD	Component of various electronics	Elekronik Supersonik
Life Support System	Commonly found in most ships	Ship and Station Components
Luxury Goods	Jewelry, artwork, rare spices, etc.	Consumer Goods
Magnetometer	Component of various mining beams	Equipment Parts
Manufacturing Tools	Common tools used in heavy manufacturing	Industrial Goods
Medical Supplies	First-aid supplies	Medical Equipment
Meditation Crystals	Used by the Itani as part of meditation rituals	Consumer Goods
MicroTech Replicator	Constructs many prefab products using nanotechnology	Industrial Goods
Military Research Supplies	Assorted chemicals and other consumables for research	Research Equipment
Mineral Assay Equipment	Needed for basic mining operations	Research Equipment
Nanite Modulators	Used in nanite manufacturing	Industrial Goods
Nanite Replicator	Controls the replication of nanites for mircotech replicator	Industrial Goods
NanoFeed	Mostly carbon, a powder used for nanite replication	Production Goods
NanoPigments	Dyes and pigments which can be instructed to change their color	Production Goods
Navigation Unit	Controllers for ship systems	Ship and Station Components
Neural Nodule	Component of many cybernetics	Medical Equipment
Optics	Frequently used in weapon manufacturing	Weapon Components
Organic Solvents	Super-corrosive organically-produced solvents	Industrial Goods
Orion Drill Bits	Component of various mining beams	Equipment Parts
Orion Extractor Component	Component of various mining beams	Equipment Parts
Outer Hull Plate	Used in the production of most ships	Ship and Station Components
Oxygen Recycling System	Compact air purifier and oxygen recycling system	Ship and Station Components
Pelatus Spices	Sweet spices often used in desserts	Comestibles and Beverages
Pentric Ore	A rare asteroid composition of complex chemical material	Ores (Premium and Standard)
Personal Defense Systems	Small arms and other personal defense devices	Consumer Goods
Pharmaceuticals	Used in common medical treatments	Medical Equipment
Phase Array	Modulates the phase of energy weapon projectiles	Weapon Components
Pherona Spices	A spicy mixture of dried peppers and herbs.	Comestibles and Beverages
Pilot Safety Harness	For the safety of the pilot	Ship and Station Components
Plasma Core	Primary component of most plasma weapons	Weapon Components
Plasma Torches	Specialized tools for station maintenance	Ship and Station Components
Plasteel	Light plastic compound with the strength of steel	Industrial Goods
Power Regulators	Power flow regulators, used in most energy weapons	Weapon Components
Precious Metals	Extracted in small quantities from other ores	Ores (Premium and Standard)
Pressure Relief Valves	Primary component of oxygen generation systems	Ship and Station Components
Propellant Actuators	Component of turbo systems	Ship and Station Components
Protective Outerwear	Specialized clothing for working with hazardous materials	Research Equipment
Purified Water	Purified water, safe for drinking	Comestibles and Beverages
Pyronic Ore	Rare ore formed in the residue of a star's collapse	Ores (Premium and Standard)
Quantitative Analysis Equipment	Needed for basic research	Research Equipment
Radiation Containment Kit	Used to safely store radioactive materials	Research Equipment
Rare Book	Now considered obsolete, these printed materials are sought by collectors	Consumer Goods
Recycled Plastic	Pellets of recycled plastic ready to be reprocessed	Industrial Goods
Refugee Support Kit	Basic supplies for war refugees	Military Equipment
Replacement Hydraulic Fluid	Replacement hydraulic fluid	Production Goods
Samoflange	Extremely dense and valuable material	Special Trade Good
Scanner Circuit Boards	Component of many electronics	Elekronik Supersonik
Sedina Chocolates	A secret recipe prized throughout the universe	Comestibles and Beverages
Serco Ale	A strong alcoholic brew preferred by the Serco Military	Comestibles and Beverages
Serco Cybernetic Implants	Assorted Cybernetic Arms and Legs	Medical Equipment
Serco Training Level V	Standard educational program used by most Serco children	Consumer Goods
Serco Training Level VI	Standard educational program used by most Serco children	Consumer Goods
Serco Training Level VII	Standard educational program used by most Serco children	Consumer Goods
Ship Paint	Covers up those unsightly scratches	Production Goods
Silicate Ore	Unrefined silicate material	Ores (Premium and Standard)
Silksteel	Incredibly strong steel alloy	Industrial Goods
Simple Plastics	Common manufacturing materials	Production Goods
Solid Explosives	Component of missiles	Weapon Components
Solid Fuel Packs	Component of missiles	Weapon Components
Stabilizing Systems	Weapon stabilizers, increase precision by reducing recoil	Weapon Components
Station Conduit	Basic conduit for wires, pipes and other materials	Ship and Station Components
Steel	A durable but heavy building material	Production Goods
Superconductors	Component of many electronics	Elekronik Supersonik
Surveillance Equipment	Station security equipment	Ship and Station Components
SynthWood	Synthetic wood, common construction material	Production Goods
Synthetic Diamonds	Used in manufacturing	Production Goods
Synthetic Gems	Used in jewelry and art	Consumer Goods
Synthetic Hydrocarbons	Common building blocks for many industrial applications	Production Goods
TPG Pilot Training Module	Developed for TPG pilots	Consumer Goods
Textured Vegetable Protein	While extremely stable and ideal for long spaceflights, it has no flavor	Comestibles and Beverages
Thermal Imagers	Component of various mineral scanners	Equipment Parts
Thermal Insulator Tiles	Provides protection for the outer layer of many ships	Ship and Station Components
Thrust Regulators	Component of ship turbo systems	Ship and Station Components
Tunguska Mining Module	Component of various mining beams	Equipment Parts
Turbo Charger	Component of ship turbo systems	Ship and Station Components
Unassembled Cargo Crates	Empty cargo crates	Industrial Goods
Valent Robotic Components	Frequently used in weapon manufacturing	Weapon Components
VanAzek Ore	A common asteroid composition containing heavy and radioactive metals	Ores (Premium and Standard)
Verasi Koffee	A modern interpretation of the coffee of Sol I	Comestibles and Beverages
Verasi Specialty Foods	So good you'll lick your fingers.	Comestibles and Beverages
Vismetal	As strong as steel, but clear as glass	Production Goods
Vismetal Cockpit	Clear yet durable and able to withstand the pressures of space	Ship and Station Components
Volatile Chemicals	Industrial chemicals with volatile properties	Industrial Goods
Waste Treatment Chemicals	Used to process common station wastes	Production Goods
Xang Xi Advanced Robotics	Equipment used in cargo loading and unloading	Ship and Station Components
Xang Xi Waste Container	Standard holding container for station wastes	Ship and Station Components
XiRite Alloy	Extremely durable alloy made primarily from iron and xithricite	Production Goods
Xithricite Ore	Ore containing the precious mineral Xithricite	Ores (Premium and Standard)

Avoiding and Escaping Pirates

For information on avoiding and escaping pirates, visit the [VPR]pedia, which can be found here.