VOICED: French sea-going 'vacuum cleaner' sucks up water pollution

A small shipbuilder in Brittany, France, has developed a boat that functions like a seagoing vacuum cleaner, capable of cleaning debris and oil slicks from the water. The boat filters solid waste into a holding tank and expels clean water. Endorsed by transatlantic rower Mod Fontenot, the boat can handle 100 cubic meters of oil per hour and navigate choppy seas. The company has sold 40 smaller boats for lakes and aims to expand to Europe's open seas, addressing pollution challenges.

What is the primary goal of the small shipbuilder in Brittany, France?

• To manufacture cargo ships

• To build luxury yachts

• To create boats that can clean up pollution

• To design fishing vessels

How does the boat handle solid waste?

• It converts the waste into energy

• It filters and stores the waste in a holding tank

• It burns the waste

• It releases the waste back into the sea

What is the boat's capacity for cleaning oil?

• 100 cubic meters per hour

• 200 cubic meters per hour

• 500 cubic meters per hour

• 50 cubic meters per hour

Who is Mod Fontenot and what is their connection to the boat?

• The designer of the boat

• A government official who funded the project

• A sailor who baptized the vessel

• A marine biologist who studied the boat

What has been the market response to these pollution-cleaning boats?

• They have not been sold yet

• They are banned in Europe

• They are only used in research

• 40 smaller boats have been sold for lake use