Apparatus for cleaning oil spills

Claim 1

An integrated system for collecting and transferring to land for disposal thereon liquid and solid waste floating on or near the surface of a body of water, said system comprising, in combination: a floating vessel with a hull and a deck, crane means with controls therefor mounted on the deck of said vessel and positioned for removing large solids from said body of water, container means removably installed on said deck adjacent said crane for containing said solids, storage tank means for the storage of liquid waste which has been removed from the surface of said body of water, pump means for producing a vacuum connected to said storage tank means, hose means with a first open end connected to said storage tank means and a second open end constructed and arranged to draw in surface liquid while spaced above the surface of said body of water, support means for supporting the second open end of said hose spaced above the surface of said body of water, pump means connected to said storage tank for removing the contents thereof, and shore based means including a truck for removing containers filled with solid waste from the deck of said vessel when at a dock, whereby said containers may be transported by said truck for the disposal of said solid waste on land.