What to Consider When Purchasing a Used Sectional Barge

Buying a used sectional barge vs. buying new can save you a considerable amount of money. Sectional barges generally stay in good, usable condition for decades if taken care of well. Because of this, quality concerns are not common among used sectional barges. If you’re looking to purchase a used sectional barge, you’ve probably noticed that there are numerous options on the market. Finding the right one for your project can seem like a challenge at first. To help you out, here are some things we think you should consider as a buyer:

Load Capacity

Sectional barges are all built to support heavy equipment like large cranes. They are sold with different load capacities, however, and you should keep the specific requirements of your project in mind when shopping around for a used sectional barge. You should be able to find options that can support between 100 and 500 tons with roll form decks that are approved for between 5,000 lbs/sqft point loads and 20,000 lbs/sqft point loads.

Overall Condition

Listings should indicate what kind of condition sectional barges are in and should provide you with recent pictures of the barges. A small amount of rust or corrosion should be no issue, but excessive rust or corrosion can be a red flag that a barge isn’t the best investment. Likewise, a little bit of wear and tear is perfectly acceptable. If there are any major dents or severely damaged areas, on the other hand, you should be wary.

Another thing to take note of is whether or not a barge you’re interested in purchasing needs to be blasted or not, which can be a costly and time-consuming process. Watch out for barnacles, antifoul build-up, and marine growth on a barge’s underwater hull surface.

Past Uses

It can be beneficial to know where and how a sectional barge has been used previously. If it’s ever been used in salt water, it may have a shorter life expectancy than if it’s only been used in fresh water, which is much less corrosive and damaging. It may be the case that it’s recently been used in salt water but is still in great condition. If so, you might need to give it a good rinse off before using it in fresh water.

Brand/Connection Types

Flexifloat and Poseidon are two of the most popular and trusted brands on the market. They’re both dependable choices. Just be aware of the fact that they come with different connection types, which affect how installation works. The sections of Poseidon sectional barges are connected using securing pins that crew members must insert. In comparison Flexifloat sectional barges come with locking systems attached to barge sections for extremely quick and easy connection and installation.

Add-Ons

Sometimes used sectional barges will be sold with useful accessories like winch systems, elevating systems, and safety railing. If your project requires these accessories, it can definitely save you some money to buy a barge that comes with them rather than paying for them separately. Consider how add-ons can increase the overall value of barge models as you shop around.

A used sectional barge can be an incredibly worthwhile investment. Use the suggestions above to help you find an ideal model for your project, and don’t be afraid to explore all your options before deciding which sectional barge to purchase.

Buy and Sell with Eiffel Trading

Eiffel Trading is a one-stop-shop for used and new heavy civil materials and equipment! Used sectional barges are one of our hottest items, in addition to other equipment including used concrete formwork, used pile hammers, and more. Furthermore, our material inventory is wide-ranging and includes used hdpe pipe, used steel pipe, brand new steel plates, used w beams, and more.

All of our listings are constantly being updated, but if you don’t see what you’re looking for, create a wanted listing.

Ready to sell your used heavy equipment or construction material? List your products today on Eiffel Trading’s online marketplace.

If you have any questions or would like additional information, please call us at 1-800-541-7998 or email sales@eiffeltrading.com.