5 parsec gap in trade route

[atpollard]

If the three ships work together, yes, that would be optimal.

Are you sure?
I only ask because the different-ship-for-each-link plan involves a lot of unloading, storing and reloading of cargo between ships ... and modern economics tends to favor a handle-it-only-once approach. What are the labor, storage and time-delay-between-ship costs?

I am not arguing that it would not be optimal (since the rules do not address these issues), just that it is not as obvious to me as it seems to be to you.

 

[Dragoner]

If the run is regular enough, in line with real world supply chain management/JIT philosophies, a purpose built ship(s) would ply the route, probably J5, in line how the containerized freight ships run between asia and the US.

 

[rancke]

Are you sure?

I only ask because the different-ship-for-each-link plan involves a lot of unloading, storing and reloading of cargo between ships ... and modern economics tends to favor a handle-it-only-once approach. What are the labor, storage and time-delay-between-ship costs?

Depends on who you are, what you're trying to accomplish, and what the prevailing economic environment is. If you're the owner(s) of the three different ships and there is enough freight to fill the holds of all three for each jump, then, yes, I'm sure. If you are a merchant trying to find someone to carry your goods from A to B, you will want the jump-1 ship and won't care about traffic from B to C or C to D. If you're trying to get your stuff from A to D and don't care a fig for B and C, you'll want a jump-3 ship that jumps from A to D in two jumps or a jump-2 ship that does it in three jumps.

If the populations of the four worlds are only just big enough to generate enough freight for one ship, my guess is that a J2 ship will be the best solution, but the shippers will have to pay extra for the one-parsec and the three parsec links, of course; otherwise the ship will go bankrupt. Another possibility is that all three ships are employed as I suggested, but that they spend part of their time jumping back and forth from A, B, C, and D to other worlds. Or there is no regular shipping service and they have to rely on passing free traders. But note that free traders are also going to be looking for freight that fits their jump capacity.


Hans