The multi-purpose oil spill and pollution recovery work boat 'Pelikan' was recently built by Italian shipyard CPN in collaboration with waste recovery specialist Garbage Service.
The aluminium vessel measures 10.9 metres in length, with a beam of 2.5 metres, a 1.1-metre draught and a total tonnage of less than nine tonnes.
On the roof of the vessel's superstructure are solar panels that power the on-board air conditioning and heating. The vessel is powered by a 134kW diesel engine driving a single fixed-pitch propeller. With the addition of more solar panels, a diesel-electric propulsion system can be swapped for the engine.
The vessel's recovery capabilities are made possible by novel swing-out bow doors in combination with an installed vacuum pump and oil recovery system. This system utilises on board water and ballast tanks to collect polluted water, separate the oily discharge and purify the remaining water. The separated materials are then stored in different tanks for transportation and disposal.
With Garbage Service presenting the vessel concept at a marine environment workshop in Acona in mid-2013, the now fully realised 'Pelikan' can be deployed to collect waste, reclaim damaged areas, clean polluted beaches and provide waste transportation or treatment and disposal services.
Stefano Fermi
