Oil spill recovery apparatus

An apparatus for recovering spilled oil on a water surface, the apparatus comprising:

• a vessel having a propulsion system including a propeller positioned at the vessel stern and having oil storage tanks for storing recovered oil and water, the vessel having a pair of extension booms, each extension boom being rigidly attached to and extending outwardly from the mid-section of the vessel on opposite sides;
• a pair of floating booms, each floating boom having a front end and a rear end, the front ends being connected to the respective extension boom' outward ends, the floating booms extending rearward of the vessel stern and being flexibly compliant to the water surface, the floating booms extending above and below the water surface;
• a U-shaped containment apron forming a vertical wall, the apron having an upper edge positioned substantially above the water line and a lower edge positioned substantially below the water line, the apron also having two ends, each end being attached to the rearward end of one of the floating booms, whereby a U-shaped boom and apron assembly is formed;
• a turbulence deflection ramp having a front edge positioned above said propeller, two side edges along the length of the ramp, and a rear edge, the front edge being attached at a horizontal line at the rear of the vessel, the ramp extending rigidly and rearwardly downward so that the rear edge is located below the water surface, the rear edge being sealably attached to the lower edge of the containment apron;
• a pair of side skirts fixed one to each and extending downwardly from a side edge of the ramp along its length, the skirts extending substantially below the water surface;
• a containment weir having an upper weir edge, a lower weir edge, and two side weir edges, the containment weir being located forward of the containment apron, the lower weir edge being sealably attached to the ramp at a location below the water surface, the side weir edges being sealably attached to the containment apron, the upper weir edge being parallel to and slightly below the water surface, whereby a containment pool is formed with the apron and weir forming its sides and the ramp forming its bottom;
• and
• pump means operatively arranged with the containment pool and the vessel for removing fluid from the surface of the containment pool to the oil storage tanks on the vessel.