Haulers support markets, miners, industry players, and corporations. This guide will walk you through what you need, how to do it, and how to stay safe.
What is Hauling?
Hauling in EVE Online is the act of transporting items, ships, or resources from one location to another using specialized ships with large cargo holds.
It’s the backbone of EVE’s economy: miners need ore moved, industrialists need materials for production, and markets need goods supplied. Whether you’re moving your own loot or running cargo contracts for others, hauling connects the universe.
What You Need to Start Hauling
Required Skills
At minimum, train:
- Spaceship Command I
- Racial Industrial I (e.g., Amarr Industrial, Minmatar Industrial)
- Hull Upgrades III+ (to fit tank mods)
- Mechanics (improves overall durability)
Optional:
- Warp Drive Operation (for capacitor efficiency)
- Evasive Maneuvering (better agility)
- Transport Ships (for advanced hauling)
This is only the tip of the iceberg for hauling skills
What Can You Haul?
- Ore/minerals from mining sites
- Ships and fittings for sale
- Loot from missions
- PI (Planetary Interaction) materials
- Market goods for trade/flip
- Alliance supplies (fuel, doctrine ships)
Hauling Ships
Different ships suit different hauling needs:
- Tech 1 Industrials
- Cheap, entry-level haulers and alpha friendly.
- Best for beginners or short runs.
- Vulnerable in high-sec to suicide gankers due to lack of tank. Avoid autopilot.
- Examples:
- Bestower (Amarr): Large cargo, poor agility.
- Mammoth (Minmatar): Good balance of capacity and speed.
- Iteron Mark V (Gallente): Excellent high-volume hauler.
- Badger (Caldari): Strong shield tank potential.
- Blockade Runners (Tech 2 Industrials)
- Smaller cargo, but can fit a covert cloak.
- Excellent for hauling valuable goods through dangerous space.
- Examples
- Viator, Prowler, Crane, Prorator
- Deep Space Transports (DSTs) (Tech 2 Industrials)
- Larger cargo than blockade runners.
- Very tanky, can withstand ganks better.
- Examples
- Impel, Mastodon, Bustard, Occator
- Freighters
- Massive cargo space.
- Incredibly slow, no modules, no mid slots
- vulnerable if not careful
- Examples
- Obelisk, Fenrir, Providence, Charon
- Jump Freighters
- Can use cynosural fields to jump between systems.
- Essential for nullsec logistics.
- Extremely expensive and requires advanced skills.
Hauling Basics & Best Practices
Know Your Route
- Use the in-game map to avoid low-sec/null-sec unless you’re prepared.
- Check Dotlan maps or in-game intel for recent kills on the route.
Stay Aligned & Safe
- Never autopilot if you’re carrying anything valuable.
- Warp to zero on gates and stations.
Cargo Management
- Don’t carry more ISK value than your ship can tank.
- Rule of thumb: never carry more than 100M ISK in a T1 industrial or 1B ISK in a freighter without escorts.
Use Contracts
- Courier contracts let you move other people’s goods for collateral + reward.
- Always check collateral vs reward to avoid scams.
Defensive Measures
- Use stabs, inertial stabilizers, and warp core strength when possible.
- Fit bulkheads or shield/armor tanking modules on freighters.
- In risky space, use cloak + MWD trick to escape camps.
Planning Your Route
Use Tools Like:
Tips:
- Avoid major gank systems like Uedama, Niarja, Jita–Perimeter if possible.
- Use set destination in Autopilot, but fly manually (never autopilot through high-risk systems).
- Plan safespots and insta-dock bookmarks in trade hubs like Jita.
Risks of Hauling
Ganking:
- Never fly with more ISK than your tank is worth
(rule of thumb: don’t carry more than 100M ISK in a paper-thin hauler) - Fit Warp Core Stabilizers or Inertial Stabilizers
- Use cargo expanders only if tank is adequate
- Consider armor plates/shield extenders/resists
Watch for:
- Tornado/Catalyst gankers in 0.5–0.9 systems
- Smartbombers near gate perches
- Suicide tackle ships like Thrashers
Beware of Scams
- Some courier contracts are designed to trick haulers into failing. Always double-check collateral.
Time Commitment
- Hauling is often slow and repetitive, so patience is required.
Making Money as a Hauler
- Trade Hauling
- Buy low in one station, haul, and sell high at another.
- Example: Buy in Jita, sell in Amarr.
- Use EVE Tycoon or EVE Marketer
- Buy low in one station, haul, and sell high at another.
- Courier Contracts
- Accept contracts from players or corps
- Requires collateral (you lose it if you fail)
- Good for passive income
- Join services like:
- PushX
- Red Frog Freight
- Haulers Channel
- Corp/Alliance Logistics
- Haul fuel, ships, and loot
- Sometimes reimbursed or paid a salary
Tips for Success
- Start with small contracts to learn the mechanics.
- Don’t autopilot with cargo—warp manually.
- Learn about insta-dock and insta-undock bookmarks.
- Don’t fly what you can’t afford to lose.
- Join hauling channels in-game:
- Haulers Channel
- Courier’s Lounge
- Courier contracts with low profit but low risk are good for beginners.
- Use an alt (hauler-only character) to keep your main safe.