UK: The London P&I Club has advised its members to take precautionary measures against the 'cappuccino effect in bunkering.
In its press release yesterday, the protection and indemnity association stated that cappuccino effect or frothing effect usually takes place when compressed air is blown through the delivery hose during the bunkering process. The compressed air will then inflate the bunker volume, giving the impression that fuel is delivered as ordered.
Subsequently, the entrapped air will settle out of the fuel oil and the oil level will drop, revealing the shortfall in the bunker volume. Bunker buyers will then be short-changed of what they paid for.
"There are a number of ways in which cappuccino bunkers may be identified," the club