Red diesel problems in Belgium again it seems

[Colvic Watson]

Re: Belgium fines boat with traces of red - June 2017

The saving for us each year is about £170 but that's largely irrelevant, how the heck am I supposed to fill up with 220l of white diesel? What I really object to is being charged road duty on marine diesel, even at a lower rate

 

[Champagne Murphy]

Re: Belgium fines boat with traces of red - June 2017

Don't forget, the Belgians seemed to cope for several years without any elected government and just the beaurocracy running the place. I dare say that government still has very little influence on the officials who can organise things exactly as they wish.
Shame really, Oostend voor anker was fun with several Brit boats there and a generally matey atmosphere. I'm sure it will mean less of them coming here too. Given the high price of marine diesel here why not just bite the bullet and convert?

 

[sailorman]

Re: Belgium fines boat with traces of red - June 2017

The saving for us each year is about £170 but that's largely irrelevant, how the heck am I supposed to fill up with 220l of white diesel? What I really object to is being charged road duty on marine diesel, even at a lower rate

road & rebated red are much the same £s

 

[Lucky Duck]

Re: Belgium fines boat with traces of red - June 2017

However filling the tank via 'cans' can get a bit tedious

 

[michael_w]

Re: Belgium fines boat with traces of red - June 2017

IIRC a couple of years ago there were two mega yachts fined a huge sum of money by the Germans for having red diesel. I'm sure neither of them had a EU registry and their owners had deep enough pockets to counter sue the German customs.

I wonder what was the outcome.

 

[CLB]

Re: Belgium fines boat with traces of red - June 2017

The saving for us each year is about £170 but that's largely irrelevant, how the heck am I supposed to fill up with 220l of white diesel? What I really object to is being charged road duty on marine diesel, even at a lower rate

I don't expect it will garner much sympathy around these parts but this problem is huge for motorboats. I have a smallish motorboat and still have 450 litres tanks, and I can get through pretty much the whole lot in a single day without too much difficulty. Filling up with cans is just not realistic.

I actually really like Belgium as a place to visit too. Brugge is one of my all time favourite trips. Guess it will be a while before I go back, if at all.

 

[Angele]

So it seems.

When I do eventually get to do my much hoped for trip to the Baltic, I shall be going directly from Dunkirk to the Netherlands. I have no desire to be fined.

 

[Murv]

Re: Belgium fines boat with traces of red - June 2017

I don't expect it will garner much sympathy around these parts but this problem is huge for motorboats. I have a smallish motorboat and still have 450 litres tanks, and I can get through pretty much the whole lot in a single day without too much difficulty. Filling up with cans is just not realistic.

I actually really like Belgium as a place to visit too. Brugge is one of my all time favourite trips. Guess it will be a while before I go back, if at all.

A big +1.
We have our first ever European trip planned for the end of July, NL through Belgium and then Dunkirk.
But we have 1100 litre fuel tanks, if that fine quoted above is accurate at ~4.5 euros per litre, it's simply not worth the risk.

 

[Sandy]

[FONT=&quot]“Belgian Customs boarded the UK flagged boat at the KYCN Marina and in addition to checking paperwork examined a sample of fuel, which was found to contain traces of red diesel,” explained the RYA.[/FONT][FONT=&quot]
Read more at http://www.ybw.com/news-from-yachti...d-diesel-in-belgium-55746#wmEJ5SaBS4SpG9BG.99

I wonder what the level of red was?

I only ever use white, but there will be "traces" in the tank. [/FONT]

 

[adamstjohn]

Re: Belgium fines boat with traces of red - June 2017

The saving for us each year is about £170 but that's largely irrelevant, how the heck am I supposed to fill up with 220l of white diesel? What I really object to is being charged road duty on marine diesel, even at a lower rate

I feel for you on that one, must admit I hate the annual jerry can lug and that is with the petrol station 2 mins from where we can fill, is white available on the water? seem to remember somewhere doing it but if it comes out of the same pipe it could still be tainted eh? its a right muddle.

 

[Heckler]

http://www.ybw.com/news-from-yachting-boating-world/uk-sailor-fined-for-red-diesel-in-belgium-55746

And people wonder why we voted for what we did! That says it all!
Stu

 

[Heckler]

http://www.ybw.com/news-from-yachting-boating-world/uk-sailor-fined-for-reqwd-diesel-in-belgium-55746

I used to fly Sabena, not through choice! The free news paper was the Gruaniad! No wonder they went bankrupt!
Stu

 

[Champagne Murphy]

Re: Belgium fines boat with traces of red - June 2017

Not to mention the environmental threat from filling up with cans. And it's even worse if your on a swinging mooring

 

[CLB]

Re: Belgium fines boat with traces of red - June 2017

Not to mention the environmental threat from filling up with cans. And it's even worse if your on a swinging mooring

Many marinas and harbours simply don't allow it. Then what?

 

[Daydream believer]

Re: Belgium fines boat with traces of red - June 2017

The EU law does not dictate that red dye shall not be present in the tank. It only dictates that the amount of dye shall be below a certain percentage.
There is also an international law that allows the purchase on red deisel outside the EU.
I think that this applies to the Channel Islands. So if one has a receipt proving purchase in ,say, Guernsey then one can argue exemption.
One could also argue after the event that the customs officers failed to measure the percentage of red dye. ( i am sure that they would not do this on the dock side)
As a member of the RYA i would ask for legal assistance to go back to Belgian customs & ask for redress on both those points as i have just been to guernsey.
However, as i go to Ostend a lot i make sure that i always put white fuel in my tanks & top up abroad rather than at home if possible. I have cleaned the tanks carefully to avoid any stains
I have often had customs visits in ostend & last year one officer said" i know that you british cannot get white fuel easily so i will not ask you what you have in your tank"
He was surprised when i offered to show him the glass bowl in my filter.

 

[JumbleDuck]

And people wonder why we voted for what we did! That says it all!

You voted for Brexit because other EU nations apply EU law? The bounders. How ... foreign of them.

 

[longjohnsilver]

And people wonder why we voted for what we did! That says it all!
Stu

Corbyn or May? What's that got to do with red diesel?

 

[Colvic Watson]

Re: Belgium fines boat with traces of red - June 2017

Many marinas and harbours simply don't allow it. Then what?

True and although the saving is fairly small it's still nice - 70p vs £1.15. In the harbour here it's 90% commercial filling so no way there would ever be a white tank and IMHO Belgium will get more worse.

 

[Tranona]

You voted for Brexit because other EU nations apply EU law? The bounders. How ... foreign of them.

Remember, though that the UK is still in dispute with the EU over the interpretation of the Directive in law. Laws are written by the individual states to comply with Directives. Inevitably (as in this case) where directives themselves are badly worded there is variation in individual state law. So Belgians are applying THEIR law - not the EU.

Suspect the UK case is firmly in the pending tray as its relevance may soon go away.

 

[CLB]

You voted for Brexit because other EU nations apply EU law? The bounders. How ... foreign of them.

No, but maybe because when some other EU countries choose to ignore or implement their own version of an EU directive that suits them, it seems OK, but when we do it........