Cargo hauling in Star Citizen looks simple on the surface: fill a grid, fly to a destination, get paid. In practice, ship layout, loading tools, crate sizes, and survivability determine whether a run feels smooth or turns into a time sink. This guide compares three popular (and very different) haulers—the Starlancer MAX, the Argo RAFT, and the RSI Hermes—so you can pick the right platform for your routes, crew size, and risk tolerance.

You’ll learn how each ship approaches cargo, what crate sizes tend to cause headaches, how to reduce loading friction, and how to think about costs like fuel, repairs, and capital tied up in freight. If your next step is scaling up profits, this also helps you decide where to spend your credits and aUEC first—whether you earn it through an aUEC making guide loop or you prefer to buy Star Citizen aUEC to skip the slowest early grind.

Quick Comparison: What These Cargo Ships Are Actually For

• Starlancer MAX: A generalist hauler that can mix freight and vehicles for relaxed group play. Strong “do a bit of everything” identity, but loading can be awkward.
• Argo RAFT: A dedicated cargo mover with an exterior grid that’s extremely convenient to access, but exposes freight to theft and damage.
• RSI Hermes: A dedicated hauler with a large internal grid and solid flight/combat feel for its class. Built-in tractor beam can struggle with the largest crates.

Starlancer MAX: The Cozy Generalist With Real Loading Quirks

The Starlancer MAX is popular because it supports “spaceship with friends” gameplay while still being a serious hauler. It’s the ship you pick when you want to bring utility along with your freight: ground vehicles, extra gear, and flexibility for whatever the session turns into.

Where the Starlancer MAX Shines

• Vehicle + cargo flexibility: A dedicated vehicle bay lets you bring practical options like an Ursa or smaller vehicles while still running freight.
• Multi-role value: It’s not locked into one identity—if you get bored of hauling, it can pivot into other activities without feeling wasted.
• Group-friendly: It’s a natural “crew hangout” ship where one player can load while another organizes, scouts, or runs support tasks.

SCU Capacity and “Pushing Past the Grid”

On the cargo grid, the Starlancer MAX sits around 228 SCU. With additional manual packing in the vehicle bay, it can be pushed higher (often cited around ~264 SCU total), but that extra capacity comes with a time cost and higher risk of messy unloading. If your goal is consistent, repeatable income, grid-only loading is usually the more reliable approach.

The Big Pain Point: Cross-Section Loading Geometry

The MAX’s biggest drawback is the loading/unloading workflow. The cargo deck dropping down sounds ideal, but the cross-section layout can make certain crate sizes frustrating—especially when you’re trying to place larger containers deep into the back portion of the bay.

• Expect friction with larger crates: 32 SCU and 16 SCU containers can be awkward to position cleanly in the rear sections.
• 8 SCU crates are the “sanity pick”: They take longer due to volume, but they reduce the time spent wrestling stuck placements.

In other words: the Starlancer MAX can haul a lot, but it often asks you to “pay” in loading time. If you’re optimizing for steady Star Citizen money making, that time matters as much as raw SCU.

• Slow handling: It’s not a speedy ship, which affects turnaround time and how safe you feel in contested areas.
• Visibility: Cockpit visibility is often criticized, which can make approach/landing and situational awareness harder.
• Front entry reliability: The front elevator/entry can be inconsistent, which is a quality-of-life issue when you’re doing repeated stops.

Argo RAFT: The Best “Access” Hauler—And the Most Exposed

The Argo RAFT is beloved because its cargo solution is straightforward: the grid is accessible and user-friendly, and once you understand the footprint, it’s easy to load quickly. It’s the ship that feels like it was designed around cargo first.

Why the RAFT Is So Efficient to Load

• Exterior cargo grid access: You’re not fighting interior hallways or tight ramps; you can place containers directly onto the grid.
• Improved grid usability: The grid has been described as more “free-form” than it used to be, supporting stacking up to multiple layers depending on container size and current mechanics.
• Tractor beam support: The ship includes a tractor system that can move freight—useful with a friend, even if solo pilots often default to handheld tools for speed.

Capacity: The RAFT’s Big Upgrade

While early expectations around the RAFT were lower, it’s now commonly discussed as moving 190+ SCU after changes that freed up the grid. That puts it in a very practical bracket for mid-scale hauling and event logistics.

The RAFT’s Biggest Weakness Is Also Its “Feature”

External cargo is convenient—until other players are involved. Because the freight is exposed, the RAFT can be punished in ways internal-grid ships often avoid:

• Theft and griefing risk: Players can physically interfere with cargo on the grid at outposts.
• Destructible cargo under fire: If you’re attacked, shots can damage and destroy containers directly, reducing mission completion value or wiping profit entirely.

If you plan to operate in higher-traffic areas or during popular events, treat the RAFT like a ship that needs either a calmer route plan or extra security. This is especially important when you’re tying up a lot of capital in freight—losing a load can erase multiple successful runs.

Take a look at: our deeper RSI Hermes cargo capacity breakdown

Solo vs Duo Workflow Reality

With a second player, the RAFT’s ship tractor beam becomes more attractive: one person stays on the controls while the other manages freight. Solo, many pilots prefer handheld tractor tools because running back and forth can be slower than simply snapping boxes directly.

The RSI Hermes is the newest of the three and draws mixed opinions, but as a pure cargo platform it offers a compelling value proposition: a large internal grid, good flight characteristics for its size, and enough firepower to feel less helpless than some industrial ships.

Hermes Capacity and the “Dedicated Hauler” Identity

The Hermes is commonly cited around 288 SCU of grid capacity. The key point is that this is internal capacity, which changes the risk profile compared to the RAFT. Your freight is less exposed to random interference at a pad and less likely to be destroyed by stray fire during an attack.

Design-wise, the Hermes leans into being a dedicated cargo ship rather than a vehicle carrier. Some players dislike that it can’t easily swallow larger vehicles through the rear hatch, but that limitation also keeps the ship’s role clear: it’s built to move freight efficiently, not to be a universal garage.

Loading Tip: Start From the Back and Work Out

Hermes loading is smooth if you follow one simple rule: start at the rear positions and work outward. That approach reduces the chance of blocking yourself out of optimal placements and helps you fully utilize the grid without awkward gaps.

Tractor Beam Reality: 32 SCU Crates Are the Trap

The Hermes can handle most container sizes cleanly, but the built-in tractor beam tends to struggle with the biggest boxes—especially 32 SCU containers—because rotation control can feel limited. If you must move 32s, a handheld MaxLift tractor beam is often the more reliable tool because it allows easier rotation and alignment.

• Use ship tractor beam: For 16 SCU and below, where rotation demands are lower.
• Use MaxLift: When contracts include 32 SCU containers and precision placement matters.

What the Hermes Is (and Isn’t) Good At

• Great at: Dedicated hauling, repeatable cargo contracts, scaling up freight volume efficiently.
• Not aimed at: Being a multi-role vehicle transport for large ground vehicles.
• Nice bonus: Smaller vehicles (like a Cyclone-sized option or bikes) may still be workable depending on current fit and loading behavior, giving you a little flexibility without turning it into a full vehicle hauler.

Which Ship Should You Choose for Cargo Hauling?

Pick based on how you actually play: solo vs crew, safe routes vs contested areas, and whether you care more about flexibility or pure throughput.

• You want to mix vehicles and freight regularly.
• You play with friends and value a relaxed, flexible ship.
• You can tolerate slower flight and occasional loading friction.

Take a look at: a practical aUEC progression roadmap for upgrading your hauler

Choose the Argo RAFT if you prioritize fast, simple access

• You want a cargo grid that’s easy to reach and quick to work with.
• You mostly run calmer routes or have escort/security plans.
• You accept that exposed cargo increases loss risk during PvP or outpost chaos.

Choose the RSI Hermes if you want maximum internal SCU in this comparison

• You want a dedicated hauler with a large internal grid and efficient layout.
• You want a ship that feels quick/solid for its class and can defend itself better than some industrial platforms.
• You’re willing to use a MaxLift for 32 SCU contracts instead of relying on the ship tractor beam.

Profit Planning: Hidden Costs That Matter More Than SCU

When players talk about cargo ships, they often fixate on capacity. In real hauling loops, these factors frequently matter more:

• Turnaround time: A smaller ship that loads cleanly can outperform a bigger ship that constantly fights crate placement.
• Capital at risk: More SCU often means more credits tied up in the hold. If you lose the ship or the cargo, the hit is larger.
• Repairs, refuel, and claims: High-volume hauling tends to increase wear-and-tear costs and downtime.
• Security overhead: External cargo (RAFT) may require escorts or safer routing, which reduces net profit per hour.

This is also where many players consider time vs currency trade-offs. If your goal is to get into larger hauling faster—covering ship purchase costs, cargo seed money, and aUEC for ship upgrades—some pilots choose to buy aUEC rather than spend multiple sessions building initial capital. The important part is budgeting: don’t scale cargo volume until you can comfortably absorb a loss.

Practical Loading and Safety Tips (All Three Ships)

• Match crate size to ship geometry: If a ship fights 32 SCU placements, downshift to 16/8 SCU for smoother runs.
• Bring the right tractor tool: A MaxLift can save enormous time when rotation and precision matter.
• Plan your stop sequence: Load in an order that avoids blocking access to grid slots (especially on internal layouts).
• Assume outposts are public spaces: If you’re on a RAFT, treat the grid like it’s “hands-on” for anyone nearby.
• Don’t overextend on cargo value: Keep enough buffer for fuel, repairs, and the occasional loss—especially during events.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Its internal grid and straightforward layout make it efficient solo, but bring a MaxLift if you expect 32 SCU crates so you’re not fighting the ship tractor rotation.

Why do people say the Argo RAFT is risky?

The RAFT’s cargo sits on an exterior grid, which makes it easy to load but also easier for other players to interfere with—and freight can be destroyed if attackers focus fire on the containers.

Can the Starlancer MAX be used for more than hauling?

That’s one of its main strengths. It supports mixed gameplay by carrying vehicles alongside freight, making it a strong choice for group sessions that might pivot away from pure cargo.

What’s the best way to avoid losing money on cargo runs?

Keep your cargo investment smaller until you trust your route and server stability, avoid high-traffic pads when possible, and budget for repairs and setbacks as part of your Star Citizen aUEC farming plan.

Do I need a lot of credits up front to start hauling seriously?

Scaling up usually requires both a ship and enough capital to buy or stage freight. If you want to reduce early grind, some players look for how to smooth out Star Citizen progression with additional aUEC so they can focus on routes and efficiency instead of seed funding.