Belgium Again!

Pye_End said:
As a matter of interest, how has it affected the colour in the tank?

I tried this a couple of years ago and the tank colour got darker and darker after adding white. It looks as though the FAME had reacted with the copper pipes.

Much easier to avoid Belgium than cleaning the whole system out and permanently changing to non marine diesel.
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Well, for interested parties, the Diesel in our almost 900 litre tank is brown.

Brown is the colour you get when you mix Irish green Diesel with British red Diesel.

If it becomes a problem I suggest regular visitors to Belgium mark the tank with red in as " Heating/generator fuel only."

Have a small portable tank with feed and return made up and filled with white clearly marked " Propulsion only."

Providing, of course, Diesel heating or electricity generation exists on said vessel.
 
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I was boarded by Customs in Nieuwpoort only last week. Belgian boat, Belgian owner. They checked paperwork, inquired when the boat was last in the UK and checked the diesel (see through filter bowl was ok, otherwise they would have dipped the tank). A routine check, no matter whether you’re Belgian or foreign.
When I asked about UK boats, they referred to the law and the verdict of the European Court of Justice. They realise it is an awkward situation and they informally told me that some officers might turn a blind eye. But they also said the plain fact is that the directive on marked diesel has been in force for over 20 years and I have to admit there is no arguing with that.
I might add that diesel checks by Customs are not confined to yachts, they routinely do checks on road vehicles and still find people using red diesel, so they still see the need to enforce the rules.
 
And some folk wonder why we opted to leave !

So when we do eventually leave does this mean we can then treat the 60/40 guideline with the contempt it deserves and simply buy our red diesel at 0% additional duty ?
 
superheat6k said:
And some folk wonder why we opted to leave !

So when we do eventually leave does this mean we can then treat the 60/40 guideline with the contempt it deserves and simply buy our red diesel at 0% additional duty ?
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I doubt the UK will revert to 0% tax for leisure boats.
 
Pye_End said:
As a matter of interest, how has it affected the colour in the tank?

I tried this a couple of years ago and the tank colour got darker and darker after adding white. It looks as though the FAME had reacted with the copper pipes.

Much easier to avoid Belgium than cleaning the whole system out and permanently changing to non marine diesel.
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I moved from Red to White in the winter of 2017/18 due to fuel bug in the red. I strongly suspected that the turn over of the red where I bought it was not great and that that is where I got "infected".

To date I have had no problem with white fuel, I use Shell V Power on the recommendation of a diesel mechanic, and use very little - about 40 ltrs a year - don't find it an issue. I also just fill with what I need, thus the fuel is "fresher" as they are now saying that diesel now has a shelf life of about 12 months.
 
superheat6k said:
And some folk wonder why we opted to leave !
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Since the breacherous usually moan about other EU countries failing to follow the rules, it's a refreshing change to read complaints about other countries sticking to them.

So when we do eventually leave does this mean we can then treat the 60/40 guideline with the contempt it deserves and simply buy our red diesel at 0% additional duty ?
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Only if you think that reducing the duty paid on fossil fuel by leisure boaters is likely to be a priority for a future government. And even if it is, having red diesel in your tanks when visiting Belgium will still be illegal.
 
JumbleDuck said:
Since the breacherous usually moan about other EU countries failing to follow the rules, it's a refreshing change to read complaints about other countries sticking to them.



Only if you think that reducing the duty paid on fossil fuel by leisure boaters is likely to be a priority for a future government. And even if it is, having red diesel in your tanks when visiting Belgium will still be illegal.
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That depends on just what sort of Brexit transpires, if it is a complete divorce then they cannot legally do anything as it becomes a question of international law however if the UK remains tied to the EU then they will continue to enforce the no colour law.
 
Elecglitch said:
Err, Amstel is from Amsterdam (the clue is in than name) in the Netherlands. Are you really that ignorant?
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As long as you can get genuine Amstel brewed in Amsterdam using the brackish Amsterdam water it’s a great beer, the Amstel sold in the UK brewed over here isn’t Amstel it’s just a homogenous c**p. Same goes for the ‘fake’ Heineken sold in the UK.
 
".........And as has been stated many times before, it was never about whether 60/40 or 100% tax, it was about the COLOUR of our diesel."



I am sure this abuts to a critically important issue at the heart of governance,
but I am labouring with it just at the moment.

I shall go to France where, with a few dishonourable exceptions, they don't G.A.S.
 
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westhinder said:
When I asked about UK boats, they referred to the law and the verdict of the European Court of Justice. They realise it is an awkward situation and they informally told me that some officers might turn a blind eye. But they also said the plain fact is that the directive on marked diesel has been in force for over 20 years and I have to admit there is no arguing with that.
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Sounds like they have either reneged of were unaware of an agreement then. Bit naughty of them.

The Belgian authorities have said that if there are any changes to the agreement, which was also in place last year, they will notify the Regulations and Technical Services Group in good time so that the Cruising Association can inform CA members and the sailing community.Read more at https://www.ybw.com/news-from-yacht...ruising-association-71987#vvDh7kpAYLoJ22ET.99
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Poecheng said:
Certainly here in the UK. I now fill with white as there doesn't seem to be much of price difference and we do not have large tanks.
However, in Ostend last year, there is no diesel near the harbour and garages are not allowed in the town/city centres, they must be on the outskirts. So you have to transport diesel in cans to the boat in Belgium.

OK in Netherlands round the corner so outbound we managed until we got to Flushing and, on the return journey filled up in Breskens.
However, the problem is not really where to fill up, it is that you cannot be in Belgium with red diesel.
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The chap who was the subject of the OP, would have been wise not to have filled his tank in Dover, but filled asap on first arrival in Belgium, he would then have had a nice Belgian invoice & white fuel. Thus saving €500
 
Old Harry said:
The chap who was the subject of the OP, would have been wise not to have filled his tank in Dover, but filled asap on first arrival in Belgium, he would then have had a nice Belgian invoice & white fuel. Thus saving €500
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No he would have pinky red fuel and still got the same treatment and fine.
 
Old Harry said:
You two are assuming far too much, Dover > Dunkerque is not very far, what 40 mls, fill up & stay the night. One will have done ones best to comply & have a chitty
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Done ones best doesn't come into it if there is a trace of colour (ppm of dye) your stuffed.
 
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