[Starport/Downport] Procedures

[Dave Chase]

Should there be a set of general Imperial procedures for approaching a port?
Contacting a port?
Or are there just spacer guidlines for approaching a port?
Or is it assumed that until you visit a port for the first time (or are given reliable information on it) that you have to be told what to do? (Ie is there common traffic control rules and procedures at all ports.)

Are ships required to give destinations (ie their next port of call) to the port before they leave?

Are there fines for not following the port’s procedures?

Are there procedures for picking up passengers and/or dropping off passengers (or other undesirables)?

Dave Chase

 

[BP]

In the 3I setting, spaceports have a level of sovereignty - so common procedures would seem very likely, given common laws.

For safety and efficiency one would expect procedures and some method of enforcement (i.e. fines, incarceration, physical engagement, etc.).

Destination information might be requested, but with no reliable way of asserting validity, one would expect it would just be an optional piece of datum requested for outbound transits...

 

[rust]

Dave, there is a lot of information on this in the GURPS Traveller supple-
ment Far Trader, it describes all the common procedures of the Third Im-
perium as well as some of the more unusual ones (port guide, etc.).
I would recommend to take a look at it, there is a lot of useful informa-
tion there, although the main focus is on finances and trade.

 

[Dave Chase]

Thanks BP and rust for your discussion points.

rust, thanks for the information.

I posted these more as discussion threads than seeking answers for my self.

Dave Chase

 

[rust]

I posted these more as discussion threads than seeking answers for my self.

Well, in this case ...

I would expect standard procedures that included detailed traffic control,
beginning with the verification of the ship's transponder signal and the
declaration of the ship's intent on entering the system, and leading to a
customs inspection of the cargo, a safety inspection of the ship, a health
inspection of crew and passengers and an immigration service inspection
of all persons who intend to leave the ship.

And I have no doubt at all that there would be severe fines for every vio-
lation of the red tape system. :twisted:

 

[DFW]

and an immigration service inspection
of all persons who intend to leave the ship.

In the 3I starports are part of the 3I not the planet. So, no immigration for going into the star port. Maybe if you want to leave the starport for the planet itself.

 

[rust]

In the 3I starports are part of the 3I not the planet. So, no immigration for going into the star port.

Are you sure they will let each and every Sword Worlder, Aslan, Vargr or
whatever into the Imperium without checking his ID ?
There are not only Imperial citizens on all starships landing at an Imperial
port, and some who are may be wanted criminals.

 

[DFW]

Are you sure they will let each and every Sword Worlder, Aslan, Vargr or whatever into the Imperium without checking his ID ?
There are not only Imperial citizens on all starships landing at an Imperial
port, and some who are may be wanted criminals.

Outside of the starports on the border areas, a ship is ALREADY in the 3I if they are approaching the starport. If they are from outside the 3I the ID check won't be particularly useful as any criminal will NOT be showing ID that will get them nailed. Starports in 3I are like Freeports of old. If you leave the port to "on world" the local gov't screens or not depending on local Law Level. Cost benefit is what applies. However, I'm sure that the inbound ships has to transmit passenger manifest before docking and that also gets forwarded to local authorities so they have a chance to review before anyone even tries to leave Startown.

 

[hdan]

However, I'm sure that the inbound ships has to transmit passenger manifest before docking and that also gets forwarded to local authorities so they have a chance to review before anyone even tries to leave Startown.

...which gives me a great idea for an encounter:

As you are approaching the landing spot, the control tower contacts you again with a priority message:

"[Inbound Ship] Starport security will be taking custody of [Passenger X] when you touch down. You are to maintain your ship's security protocol until they arrive; do not disembark any passengers for any reason until security has custody of the passenger.
Startport Control out."

If the players confront the passenger (who up until now has been completely unremarkable), the passenger will become highly agitated and insist that there must be some sort of mistake.

Possible Outcomes:
1) The passenger is a wanted criminal who mistakenly believed he was ahead of his arrest warrant, and will not cooperate with the crew or station security.
2) As #1, but a notorious bounty hunter wishes to capture the passenger first.
3) The passenger is wrongly suspected of terrorist affiliations and is going to be detained for questioning. There is a good chance that the passenger will be convicted (falsely) unless the players can intervene in some way.
4) As #3 but the passenger is a terrorist and there is a local cell who is expecting the passenger and knows what ship he is arriving on.
5) The passenger's ID code was entered incorrectly, and is not the person station security believes him to be.
6) As in #5, but the passenger is guilty of another crime, and does not know that there has been a mixup.

The referee should determine number of foes and equipment available based off of the world's TL and LL and the player's capabilities.

 

[phavoc]

Ships entering a system would, I expect, transmit their bonafides upon arrival in the system. Then Imperial customs would decide if they need to do a cursory scan, board for an inspection, or move the ship towards a customs station where they give the ship and its a crew an anal scan looking for smuggled goods and diseases!

But most star systems in the Imperium are going to have the same traffic rules, the same regulations, etc. After all standardizatio is the name of the game for so many things in the Imperium. Plus it makes the lives of everyone who travels much more simpler if things were the same.

I came up with a list of tasks that a merchantman might perform upon arrival in a system, but I don't have them here with me right now. I'll look for them later and post them to the thread to share.

 

[phavoc]

I found my list and thought I would share with all. It's kinda rough but feel free to flesh it out.

I) Arrival Activities
Prior to jump arrival
1. Beginning within the window of earliest estimated jump arrival, crew begins minimal staffing rotation on bridge, engineering and weapons stations.
2. Minimal crew manning remains for all stations until arrival in real-space.
First hour of in-system arrival
3. All crew report to duty stations immediately upon arrival
4. Begin scanning local area for nearby traffic
5. Establish contact with orbital control and transmit identification data, cargo and passenger manifest, download local traffic data, shipping paths and local sensor data.
6. File flight plan with traffic control for preferred destination. Engage drive and head to planned destination.
7. Begin downloading electronic mail, local market data and in-system news.
8. Request contact/rendezvous with customs if required.
9. Allow passengers/crew to transmit personal messages to planet/system data-net.
Remaining flight time (variable)
10. Continue transit to destination.
11. File preliminary out-bound flight plan, estimated departure date, estimated available cargo space and available cabins with appropriate agencies.
12. Arrival at destination, clear customs and immigration as required.

II) Port Activities
First 24hrs of arrival
1. Disembark passengers (high & middle), deliver mail and priority cargo.
2. Revive and disembark low-berth passengers, arrange for pickup of cargo destined for arrival at port or speculative cargo that buyers can be found for.
3. Begin cargo unloading
4. Cargomaster begins looking for new cargoes (bulk, speculative, mail).
Day 2 – 5 (assumes 7 day stay in-system)
5. Begin refuel/repair activities.
6. Crew shore leave rotation begins
7. Steward begins looking for passengers
8. Begin pre-flight checks, begin loading bulk cargo.
9. Crew shore leave rotation ends.
48 hours prior to departure
10. Obtain updated flight/navigation information and charts.
11. File preliminary flight plan with traffic control, request departure slot.
12. Begin loading remaining cargo, low-berth passengers
13. Load shipboard supplies, food, perishables
24 hours prior to departure
14. Board middle, high passengers
15. Load mail & speculative cargo
16. Complete pre-flight lift-off checks
Last two hours prior to departure
17. Confirm departure window with traffic control
18. Load high-priority and any other special cargo
19. Seal ship and begin pre-liftoff tests
20. Liftoff!
III) Departure Activities
First hour after Liftoff
1. Clear immediate area around departure port
2. Contact in-system traffic control and request departure course for jump
3. Man all stations for outbound departure (engineering, weapons, bridge)
2nd hour after liftoff & onwards (variable)
4. Begin maneuvering towards departure point
5. Finalize any last-minute data transmission to/from planet or stations.
6. Scan jump area to verify no ships or objects in the immediate vicinity
7. Power up jump drive
8. Notify traffic control of imminent departure
9. Jump!

 

[Dave Chase]

Thanks phavoc, very nice.

I use something similar to that, but never made an actual list.

Most times the players never truly see or hear what is on that list as they usually are not the Capt or ExO in charge of the procedures.

Dave Chase

 

[zero]

I generally used a very simple process of explaining after the few hours needed to get from the 100diameter area to the port that a comms check would be needed to establish contact and gain permission to land.

This permission would be given if the ship was inline with the Law Level (based on what the port knows of the ship) and the credits required to land get direct-debited over (collected upon landing with physical money. The crew would need to prove they have the cash though, although the crew mostly get their cash straight into their account(s)).

Customs would sort out the chars once there or will check the ship at the port gate, cargo would be off-loaded if applicable once inside by the port's own people/droids.

For the most part the crew would visit the local gas giant for free fuel (a fuel processor or two is generally onboard), only refuelling at the port if there is no gas giant in the vicinity.

 

[phavoc]

I generally used a very simple process of explaining after the few hours needed to get from the 100diameter area to the port that a comms check would be needed to establish contact and gain permission to land.

This permission would be given if the ship was inline with the Law Level (based on what the port knows of the ship) and the credits required to land get direct-debited over (collected upon landing with physical money. The crew would need to prove they have the cash though, although the crew mostly get their cash straight into their account(s)).

Customs would sort out the chars once there or will check the ship at the port gate, cargo would be off-loaded if applicable once inside by the port's own people/droids.

For the most part the crew would visit the local gas giant for free fuel (a fuel processor or two is generally onboard), only refuelling at the port if there is no gas giant in the vicinity.

Landing fee's might get discussed, but some ships aren't going to have cash until they sell their cargo. I would assume the local port authorities would let anyone land, but as part of the departure clearance checks, they would see if you had paid your fee's. And if not you'd be denied take-off clearance (or if you are on an orbital, nobody would open the docking bay). Most places should let you pay for it in arrears since they can always confiscate your ship/cargo for non-payment (even it it DOES look like a hunk of junk that can make the Kessel run in 14 parsecs).

With the travel time involved in having to move from a world at approximately 1AU from the sun to the closest gas giant, well, for a small and slow freighter, it would be cheaper to buy unrefined fuel locally than try and go get it for free. The amount of time you'd spend in transit would, I think, negate any sort of savings. After all, time IS money when you are a merchant!

 

[kafka]

Time is money when you are a merchant...

Agreed. That is why Travellers are always taking odd jobs (ie adventures) not merely hauling cargo from point A to point B. Because, in order to turn a profit is necessary sometimes to stay off the straight line...just ask Ky Vatta...

 

[TC]

IMTU, all Imperial Star Ports operate under the same proceedures unless there is a specific enviroment impact on the Downport. There are well known special proceedures for general issues, like high traffic, planetary diasters, Imperial Actions etc.

If the system is Amber Zoned, you recieve a current update in your general data dump upon arriving. How accurate this is depends on the GM's needs.

YMMV, but this how I see the Star Port Authority running Imperial Ports. Planetary ports are a crapshoot in all ways.