Why It Is Important to Consider the Service History of a Barge

Many people rent a barge based on its external appearance. Such people get disappointed when that rental barge develops defects that they had not imagined would crop up. This article discusses some of the complications that may result from hydraulic leaks on a poorly maintained rental barge and what you should watch out for when looking at rental barges.

Environmental Issues

A well-maintained barge will not expose you to sanctions by environmental authorities. This is because the barge will not have any leaks that will pollute the waterways where you are conducting excavation works. A proper preventive maintenance system will detect any leaks as soon as they develop. Such leaks will be fixed in time and they will not escalate to a level of violating environmental protection laws in your area of operation.

Downtime

A well-maintained barge will not have frequent breakdowns that cause lengthy downtime. This is because parts that are about to fail will be replaced long before they reach the breaking point. Consequently, work will go on uninterrupted by component failures. Sudden component failures are very expensive to repair because technicians will be brought in at short notice and express shipping costs for replacement parts will be incurred.

Energy Losses

Another reason why you should rent a well-maintained barge is because there will be fewer energy losses during the operation of that vessel. For instance, a poorly maintained barge will have a clogged engine system that will not efficiently burn the fuel/air mixture in order to power the vessel. This is because engine oil may leak into the combustion chamber and contaminate the fuel. Consequently, the barge may consume more fuel to cover the same distance when compared to the fuel consumed by a barge that has a good service history.

Safety Risks

Some immediate risks that you will expose yourself to are the risks of slips and falls or fire hazards. These risks emerge due to hydraulic leaks that develop in poorly maintained barges. For instance, oil may spill onto engine components. Once those components heat up as the barge operates, spontaneous combustion may occur and start a fire. Furthermore, hydraulic leaks may make the surface of the barge slippery. This can result in serious injuries when staff members slip and fall on that slippery surface.

To avoid all the issues above, involve a barge service professional to examine the preventive maintenance records of the barges that you would like to choose from. He or she will recommend the one that is in an excellent condition based on its service history.