Abstract: An acquatic vessel, preferably a barge which is either self- or non-self-propelled is equipped with ice cutting, oil recovery and processing apparatus. The ice covered area that is polluted with oil is approached by the vessel and the oil-contaminated ice is cut into slabs which are conveyed to a cleaning station where high pressure air and/or water jets and/or chippers remove the oil and some of the exterior of the slab. The oil and ice mixture that is removed from the slab is collected and heated. The oil is separated and purified and used as fuel and/or stored. The cleaned ice slabs are dropped back in the channel behind the vessel. Oil that is located beneath the ice, not adhering to the ice slabs, travels down an inclined plane under the vessel, rises in a well, and is separated out and used as fuel or stored.