Three oil-sweeping arms provided by the Dutch government have been flown to the United States. Another three arms will be leaving today and experts from private industry will also fly in to assist. The transport was to have taken place on Saturday, but no suitable plane could be found to carry the heavy equipment.

The US authorities requested the sweeping arms and auxiliary equipment to help collect oil spilled in the Gulf of Mexico.

The arms can be attached to ships and will then collect floating oil and pump it into storage tanks. Depending on weather conditions they can each pump up to 350 cubic metres an hour. They should go into operation on Wednesday.

The sweeping arms will remain in the United States after use and Washington will pay for them to be replaced.

Caretaker Transport Minister Camiel Eurlings commented: "We have been working closely with the US on water-related issues in the Louisiana region since Hurricane Katrina. It seems no more than natural that once again we stand together with the people of Louisiana."

Oil is still gushing from the BP site at a depth of 1.5 kilometres in the Gulf of Mexico. Six weeks since the leak occurred technicians have still not succeeded in repairing it.

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