Are the Belgians Behaving?

[Dockhead]

I will be on my way to Finland via the Kiel Canal soon, and I need to pick up crew flying into Brussels. It looks like Oostende is the most convenient port, but what the Belgians with their red diesel shtick? Has this blown over already?

And is Oostende the best place for such a crew pickup?

Thanks in advance for any info.

 

[Angele]

From now, until October at the earliest, they should be.

http://www.rya.org.uk/newsevents/news/Pages/BelgianstotolerateuseofreddieselbyUKboats.aspx

 

[Joker]

I had no problems in Zeebrugge.

In Vlieland, however, the Customs man got very shirty when I had no direct evidence of VAT having been paid.

 

[westhinder]

Oostende is the best place logistically: it has the best train connection with Brussels and the station is opposite the Mercator Dock, 500 meters from the Montgomery Dock.
Blankenberge also has a direct train link with Brussels, but trains are less frequent and the station is further from the harbour, 15 minutes walk. Zeebrugge has even less frequent trains and the station is not very close either.
As far as red diesel is concerned, I have no reports of incidents so far.

 

[Dockhead]

Oostende is the best place logistically: it has the best train connection with Brussels and the station is opposite the Mercator Dock, 500 meters from the Montgomery Dock.
Blankenberge also has a direct train link with Brussels, but trains are less frequent and the station is further from the harbour, 15 minutes walk. Zeebrugge has even less frequent trains and the station is not very close either.
As far as red diesel is concerned, I have no reports of incidents so far.

Thanks, very useful!