"The goal here is to allow players to choose a barge that fits their specific play style rather than lead them on a journey from the worst barge to the best one."

EVE Online Dev Blog: Ship Balancing: Mining Barges
community.eveonline.com
This summer we will be revamping the Mining Barges and Exhumers, hereafter collectively referred to as barges. This is part of a larger initiative, spearheaded by CCP Ytterbium, where we revamp ship classes one by one.