Abstract: An axial flow pump for handling debris-laden viscous fluid flow, for example of the type encountered in cleaning up oil spills in off-loading stricken oil tankers. The pump includes a bell- or venturi-shaped intake, rotating impeller mounted in the intake, a fixed stator downstream of the impeller, and suitable hydraulic motor means for rotating the impeller to pull oil through the pump from the intake inlet to an outlet. The surface of the intake is specially contoured at a first region from the inlet to the throat or impeller face to reduce and compensate for cavitation and viscous boundary layer growth in that region. A second portion of the intake from the throat or impeller face to the impeller exit is also specially contoured to compensate for viscous boundary layer growth, but modified in view of the impeller-generated forces and debris concentrations in that region which affect viscous boundary layer growth.