A Taiwanese-owned ship billed as the world’s largest skimming vessel was preparing to sail Friday evening to the scene of the Deepwater Horizon disaster.
The owners of the “A Whale” – the length of 3 1/2 football fields and 10 stories high – said the ship features a new skimming approach that has never been attempted on such a large scale. They are anxious to put it to its first test in the Gulf.

The A Whale skimmer, 3 1/2 football fields long and 10 stories tall, was photographed in Norfolk, Va., on Friday. June 25 2010
The company said it also needs a waiver of the 1920 Jones Act, which limits the activities of foreign-flagged ships in coastal U.S. waters. The A Whale is Liberian-flagged vessel.
Ah… the Jones Act.
Much as been written about it but is it really a problem?
It is what any large government operation does.
It becomes mired in indecision, bungling and flat-out stupidity!