London P&I Club shares tips on guarding against ‘cappuccino bunkers’

The protection and indemnity club outlined that air can be introduced into the bunker fuel before, during and after the fuel transfer, and spelled out tips on identifying cappuccino bunkers.

“The aerated bunkers when sounded will give the impression that the fuel is delivered as ordered. In fact, after some time when the entrapped air in suspension settles out of the fuel oil, the oil level drops and a shortfall is discovered,” the club said.

Cappuccino bunkers happen when compressed air is blown through the delivery hose, causing frothing or bubbling effect to the oil.

London P&I Club said if entrained air is seen on the ullage tape or fuel surface before fuel transfer, the chief engineer should not start bunkering and should notify the owners/charterers immediately.

“Air can also be introduced in the fuel during the pumping period, so it is important to continue gauging the ship’s tanks as air bubbles would be readily seen on the sounding tape,” it added.

Stripping and line blowing can also introduce air, hence stripping should only be performed at the end of the delivery for a short period of time and line blowing kept to a minimum.

In June this year, the Singapore Shipping Association defended allegations of malpractice of shortchanging bunker delivery quantity due to instances of cappuccino bunkers supplied from Singapore port.

The SSA had said the significant number of reported instances of frothed bunker are “overly exaggerated and unsubstantiated by hard evidence at the time of loading.”