UK P&I Club: Singapore "Cappuccino Bunker" Warning

"Foaming" in bunkers makes measuring supply and delivery highly unreliable.

The UK Protection & Indemnity Club (P&I) has issued a Press Bulletin reporting that some fuel deliveries in Singapore are being “overstated,” due to the "Cappuccino Effect" of air being pumped into bunker supplies.

The effect happens when excessive amounts of entrained air in the bunkers cause them to foam up to the point where it is difficult to quantify the delivery volume until a few days later when the foaming has reduced.

Once the foam subsides, their volume reduces and the tank measurements would indicate a loss of fuel.

In the P&I report, Chris Fisher, Director of marine fuel dispute and consultancy firm Bunker Claims International Ltd (BCI) makes recommendations to help identify any potential problem and help with dispute resolution.

These include establishing the contents of all barge tanks before a delivery takes place, including slop or waste oil tanks, and those declared empty or not intended for the delivery.

The Chief Engineer is also encouraged to visually check for foam on the surface of the bunkers.

Signs that crews and engineers should watch out for during the bunkering process include: hose jerking, gurgling sounds and unusual noises from the bunker barge, and pressure fluctuations.

After the delivery is complete, the recommendations say that if the amount calculated as being received has "more than a few tonnes" difference between the barge outrun figures then Owners and Charterers should be informed.

Industry experts have noted that air can enter the bunker supply as a normal part of the delivery process, for example after the delivery is made, fuel in the delivery hose can be purged using air so as to avoid a potential spill when it is detached from the vessel.