Almost all mechant ships within the Alliance are government-owned ships operated by the Royal Dalriadan Merchant Marine and contracted to companies which operate at the pleasure of the government.

Freighters are designated as DSF (Dalriadan Star Freighter) both by Dalriadan and Federation intestests.  Freighters are the workhorses of the Dalriadan commercial sector.  However, as disscovered in recent confrontations with Q-ships, sometimes a freighter may turn out to be more than just a simple merchantman.