299. A bunkering plan requires a list of the tanks to be filled and the order in which they are to be filled. Why is it preferable that fuel be bunkered into empty tanks, where possible?

Bunkering into empty tanks prevents mixing incompatible fuels, which can cause sludge formation and damage engine and fuel systems. Different fuel batches from various suppliers may have incompatible chemical properties, and segregation through the use of empty tanks minimizes the risk of these reactions and associated operational problems.