Gulf of Mexico cleanup crews working to block millions of gallons of oil from reaching land may soon have a giant on their side, a huge Taiwanese vessel dubbed “A Whale,” which its owners describe as the largest oil skimmer in the world.
The retrofitted oil tanker will cruise a 25-square-mile test site through Sunday, with the U.S. Coast Guard and BP waiting to see if the vessel, which is 10 stories high and as long as 3 1/2 football fields, can live up to its makers’ promise of being able to process up to 21 million gallons of oil-fouled water a day.
The ship works by taking in water through 12 vents, separating the oil and pumping the cleaned seawater back into the Gulf.
(READ the AP story at Natl Public Radio)
Yes!!!!!