The Colonia Citizens Network have started a ship registry. The basic idea is that you register your CMDR, get a PIN, add your factions 2 character code (or IP if you are an Independent Pilot) and glue them together with a hyphen or single letter to represent your main activity. This becomes your Ship ID.
This is intended to be used as a role playing aid. A way to identify the faction you are allied with, seeing as Frontier have yet to add a way to actually do this in-game. A way to identify your preferred, or current, game activity, and a way to identify you as a CMDR registered with the CNN.
Currently this is just getting started and is still a little manual. You can register by filling in the form here. There's a link on the form describing this in more detail, including the currently listed player Factions out in Colonia.
The Parcel Tracker
One idea I've come up with to use this is a Parcel Tracker. A player registers a target Ship ID, adds a message or file, and gets a code. They can meet up with another CMDR, in game, and pass on the code. That commander registers their Ship ID and receipt of the code and gets a new one. This gets passed on in a similar process until, eventually, the Ship ID registered at the start checks in with the current code. At which point the message is delivered or a link to the file is presented.
I can see this as a tool for game masters to add in a chance of things getting lost, or adding a random indeterminate delay.
I can also see this as a tool for GMs to work together to form larger story arcs where one GM can have their group of players meet up with another group of players to facilitate a trade. Players could also work with friends that aren't directly in their RPG group. A group in the Bubble needs to get cargo out to Colonia. A GM specifies the type of cargo (a rare(?)) and a Ship ID it needs to be delivered to. The CMDRs locate and acquire the cargo, team up with another group that is making the trip out to Colonia and that CMDR delivers to the Players out there where the story arc can continue.
Another idea could just be for message delivery. CMDR Commander Picard is currently circumnavigating the galaxy. I've caught up with him a few times so far and will do so again. It would be neat to be able to send him a message of support without having to go all the way out there. Being able to catch someone that is heading out of Beagle Point, or one of the other expeditions heading out that way, and give them one of Jaques Quinentian Stills just for the fun of it. That player may not be heading out to where Picard is, but they are more likely to pass close to someone that is. Exploring takes a special sort of person. Space Madness is a thing. Picard is a month out from a full year in out in the Black. The occasional human contact is more often than not a welcomed thing.