As I become more and more accustomed to this game I've noticed a huge lack in an escrow service. Nothing is worse than someone building a ship for me, and I need to sail / teleport to a place to pick up the goods. The crafter has to sit there and wait for me. Sometimes play times dont line up. Sometimes the item has to change hands 4 times to get to me. Trying to support a crafter with materials is the same thing. He or I have to drop what we are doing, meet up somewhere and do a trade.
I propose an escrow trade system. Enter players name. Give items to escrow service. Set time limit. Player must pick up the item in a timely manner. Very simple, logical, and reasonably realistic. You could charge the person placing the escrow, the recipient, or both. Set an order price for a private order to someone too, so a ship builder could sell a ship to a player, set the price of the ship and blamo instant private transaction with out all the sailing and wasting of precious teleports.
I would suggest they are only available in Nation / Regional Capitals and Free Towns. Obviously if an escrow with a price tag is claimed, the player who made the escrow would have to return to the port to claim the money.
