Merchant Station Modules

[AvorionCraft]

There are mobile equipment stations, etc. 

Being able to set up a ship with a special module would be fantastic.

Equipment Module

Resource Module

Etc

Cost is that one of these modules takes up two regular modules---so if a ship has six slots, popping a module into slot one cancels the last available slot, leaving only four more available.

[InfraredEcho]

rather than simply having the one module take up 2 slots, why not disperse the function between 2 modules

for example, one module sets the ship up as a trader as you described, but then a second module dictates what sort of trader it is, thus occupying the 2 slots without any funny business

[AvorionCraft]

I like your version of my idea better.