July 3rd, 2010
06:44 PM ET

Large-scale skimmer begins testing in Gulf

A ship billed as the world's largest skimming vessel has begun testing its effectiveness in the Gulf of Mexico, a spokesman for its owner, Taiwanese company TMT Shipping, said Saturday.

The A Whale has been assigned a 5-mile-by-5-mile area to test its
capability, spokesman Bob Grantham said, citing Coast Guard Rear Adm. Paul Zukunft. Testing is expected to continue Saturday and Sunday, with initial results probably available Monday, Grantham said.

The skimmer works by "taking in oily water through a series of vents, or jaws, on the side of the ship and then decanting the intake," Grantham said. "In many ways, the ship collects water like an actual whale and pumps internally like a human heart."

The testing area is just north of the underwater oil gusher, the
statement said.

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Filed under: Gulf Coast Oil Spill
soundoff (9 Responses)
  1. diannahenry

    Ithink it is time for our country steps up and do more about this thing. get tougher on these things . the presadent need to get order on this company. we are always worrieing about others . it is time for us not them.

    July 3, 2010 at 7:35 pm | Report abuse |
  2. Christenson

    WHO is censuring comments?

    July 4, 2010 at 12:10 pm | Report abuse |
  3. Christenson

    Everytime I post a comment about HALIBURTON.....it disappears. What is going on???

    July 4, 2010 at 12:12 pm | Report abuse |
  4. Christenson

    THIS COMMENT SITE IS A JOKE. I HAVE WRITTEN 3 COMMENTS ABOUT HALIBURTON......AND THEY DISAPPEAR. WHO IS CENSURING OUT MY COMMENTS??

    July 4, 2010 at 12:19 pm | Report abuse |
  5. Christenson

    I think CNN is on the BP/Haliburton payroll. This is NOT a true 1`st Amendment "free speech" site. WHO is censuring the comments?

    July 4, 2010 at 12:21 pm | Report abuse |
  6. Christenson

    Do NOT bother posting your comments on this BOGUS site. SOMEONE is censuring-out my negative comments about HALIBURTON. This censurship is offending to me, as an American.

    July 4, 2010 at 12:24 pm | Report abuse |
  7. Harold Anderson

    Don't get your panties in a bunch about deleted posts. Maybe you are just posting stupid comments and jokes!! Ever thought about that?

    July 4, 2010 at 2:01 pm | Report abuse |
  8. David

    A Whale will not work. It is a poorly conceived design. In such a dynamic situation as a ship taking on and discharging tens of thousands of gallons of water, or ballast every couple of minutes, to believe that those narrow intake vents, or "jaws" as they childishly call them could be held at the waterline is naive. The vents should be hinged to the hull and floating so the ship could operate through it's entire range of draft, not just a few inches! Who ever is in charge should have taken one look at this monstrosity and throw those idiots out.

    July 5, 2010 at 1:03 pm | Report abuse |
  9. Travis D. Martinez

    To find the greatest bang for your buck it's extremely recommended to buy your footwear through sanctioned sellers. Travis D. Martinez

    August 4, 2012 at 3:41 pm | Report abuse |
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