Mechanical containment or recovery is the primary line of defence against oil spills. This method is by far the most desirable, since it does not have detrimental effects on other methods and it prevents further damage before oil reaches the shore. Other methods, like chemical dispersion or insitu burning are not advisable because of the toxic residues that remain in the environment.
In cooperation with Rijkswaterstaat (the Dutch Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management) and T.N.O. (Dutch Organization for Applied Scientific Research) we began developing the rigid sweeping arm over thirty years ago.
The aims were to develop a device that: :
- Mechanically recovered large quantities of spilled oil in a short amount of time.
- Operated effectively during bad weather conditions and rough seas.
- A reliable system.
These demands resulted, after a long period of development, in a free floating rigid arm to be pulled directly next to a vessel.
When the vessel moves forward, oil will be guided between the ships hull and the rigid sweeping arm to the oil collection chamber in the sweeping arm. The oil/water mixture is then pumped on board the vessel through an oil tranfer pump.
On board the vessel, the oil/water mixture is separated through the difference in specific weight. Subsequently, the water can be pumped overboard. The recovery of spilled oil can continue until the tanks on board the vessel are completely filled with oil.
