Patent ID: 7520977

Claim:
A bilge pump for removing fluid from a bilge of a marine vessel, comprising: a pump housing having a base, a sidewall and a top surface defining an internal volume, wherein the base is adapted for disposition relative to a bilge surface; at least one opening within the pump housing proximate to the base for allowing bilge fluid into the internal volume; a fluid outlet extending out of the top surface of the pump housing; and a fluid pumping device at least partially disposed within the internal volume, wherein the fluid pumping device is operative to pump fluid within the internal volume through the fluid outlet; a floating petrochemical absorber having a closed internal area, wherein the pump housing is disposed within the internal area and wherein a maximum horizontal cross-dimension of the pump housing between the base and a first sidewall height above the base is less than a corresponding internal cross-dimension of the internal area of the petrochemical absorber and wherein a horizontal cross-dimension at the first sidewall height is greater than said internal cross-dimension of the absorber.