Bottsand class oil recovery ship

The Bottsand-class oil recovery ships (Type 738) of the German Navy are intended for seawater pollution control. The twin hull ships feature a bow which can be opened by 65 degrees. This creates an area of more than 40 m² (430 sq ft) to collect oil-polluted seawater. The water is pumped into the ship's 790 m³ (28,000 cu ft) tank, where it will be cleaned and the oil separated. Per hour one ship can clean up to 140 m³ (4,900 cu ft) of ocean surface polluted with a 2 mm (0.079 in) oil slick.

The two ships in the class entered service in 1984 and 1987. The ships are auxiliary ships of the navy. They are used to contain oil spills from German ships in the sea. They are manned by civilians and not naval personnel.