This is the basic milkshape file of my last attempt at a "barge". I could conceivably learn to hard point them and all but balancing it and getting feedback and my learning curve aren't going to really allow time for me to do this (I'm swamped at home anyway). However--its much better than my earlier attempt and is a hodgepodge of primitives and modified parts from other Freelancer milkshape ship files I had. Check it out and if someone wants to use it, feel free--the link is under the picture below the file.
It would be my idea of the Barge submitted elsewhere on the forum. Cargo would slide out in large container frames. The big arms in the back would guide them in and out and the rounded sides of the hull would allow dockworkers and crew to move cargo into and out of the frames within the hold as well. I have four mining ship engines there and would put a gunboat turret on each with no shield and a big hull--sort of like a Scorpion.
Good fighters could take out the turrets and whittle down the hull so repair ships would be desired and I'd still leave no ring or gate lane docking plus no thruster and 15kps forward impulse speed.