Kvichak Marine Industries is currently constructing two 30-ft Rapid Response Skimmers. One Commercial Duty Skimmer with upgraded recovery systems is for inventory to support the current effort in the Gulf oil spill cleanup and available for sale. The second skimmer is for the U.S. Navy and will join over 70 Kvichak skimmers in Navy ports worldwide.
The rapid-response, shallow-water vessel is ideally suited for use on oil spills in waterways, bays, and harbors. The all-aluminum skimmer is 30.3 ft long, with a beam of 8-ft, and a draft of 2.5 ft and is easily trailerable. Powered by twin 60hp outboards, the skimmer has a response speed of up to 17 knots and features an enclosed pilothouse for operator comfort.
Adaptable to a variety of marine spill scenarios, this highly specialized vessel works well in many recovery configurations, from free skimming through towed-boom applications, and is able to recover a very wide range of spills from light sheens to very viscous weathered oil products. The skimmer’s oil recovery system includes a Kvichak/MARCO Cl-1 Filterbelt oil skimming module, a Kvichak/MARCO U-040 Capsulpump offload system with 50-ft hose, and a recovered oil capacity of 1,000 gallons. The recovered oil tank configuration allows segregation of small volume spills to simplify post-spill decontamination. Onboard hydraulic power is supplied by an under-deck diesel HPU.