Oil-eating Whale or ‘white elephant’?

A Whale enters Gulf, but not everyone's on board

The A Whale, billed as the world's largest oil skimming vessel, is seen anchored on the Mississippi River in Boothville, La., Wednesday, June 30, 2010. The ship is the length of 3 1/2 football fields and 10 stories high.

This oil sucker is huge! Thank you Taiwan.

They are saying it won't make a big dent - we need about a gazillion of them

www.msnbc.msn.com...


watching the story now on CNN

This was a cargo ship retrofitted to be a skimmer - never has been done before - they are waiting for coast guard permission to begin skimming. coast guard has to check them out.


[edit on 2-7-2010 by berkeleygal]

I wonder if the reason we didn't see more of these types of vessels helping out is because in international waters, all the oil the 'collect' belongs to them (as salvage) which would infuriate BP no end... after all it appears they never wanted the oil to stop flowing, they just want to recover it...

Originally posted by berkeleygal
they are waiting for coast guard permission to begin skimming. coast guard has to check them out.

Doesn't this beat all. The oil is in international waters and red tape is postponing this ship from immediate deployment.

The government should give a thumbs up to anyone who can come and help out with getting this oil out of the Gulf.

And then, it shouldn't be left up to our government to say yay or nay.

It should be "If anything is floating on the surface then it's a first come first serve basis."

I don't know. Maybe when this oil reaches the shores of the UK then the citizens there will be able to criticize the US response to this inevitable international disaster.

Needs Federal Approval

reply to post by Maxmars


I couldnt agree with you more. you are absolutely right. I just wish that they would stop giving a damn about recovering the oil and do whatever they can to get it out of the water! According to CNN BP isnt lowering the dispersant levels at all, even though the EPA told them to (here is the article www.cnn.com... ) -I dont understand why BP is still in charge!?!? They are supressing this spill to no end!

*double post

[edit on 2-7-2010 by ziggyproductions05]

red tape?
so, if this vessel is unsafe, are they scared of an oil spill in the gulf?

earth stinks these days.

Appears to be currently doing sea trials.

Source

reply to post by Maxmars


I suspect that is the case as well.

I have looked over Maritime Law a bit, but there doesnt seem to be any legal precedent for this type of 'leak'.

www.admiraltylawguide.com...

www.abovetopsecret.com...

reply to post by Intelearthling


That is a well-documented urban myth

mediamatters.org...