Taking flares into northern ireland ??

[SHUG]

I have been told that you need a firearms licence to buy marine flares in Northern Ireland.
Does that mean that you are not allowed to bring flares into the country, in your luggage, if you arrive via a ferry??

 

[cliff]

I have been told that you need a firearms licence to buy marine flares in Northern Ireland.
Does that mean that you are not allowed to bring flares into the country, in your luggage, if you arrive via a ferry??

Yes, but only if (when) you get caught You will also be charged with transporting explosives (on the ferry) Ooooh could go down for a long time

 

[SHUG]

Yes, but only if (when) you get caught You will also be charged with transporting explosives (on the ferry) Ooooh could go down for a long time

Yes, Yes, thanks for that!!! How about some factual information!!

 

[awol]

If buying you need Application for Consent. Can be carried on ferry by applying for, and receiving, written permission.

Forum conclusion seems to be they're a waste of time so why bother?

 

[SHUG]

If buying you need Application for Consent. Can be carried on ferry by applying for, and receiving, written permission.

Forum conclusion seems to be they're a waste of time so why bother?

I don't want to buy or acquire them. I already have them and I want to put them in my luggage and take them to boat in NI.
I thought the Forum conclusion was exactly the opposite. They are well worth having but disposal can be a problem.

 

[awol]

For the ferry, the written consent is from the ferry company - see terms of carriage of Stena et al.. Sorry if I confused you.

 

[alant]

For the ferry, the written consent is from the ferry company - see terms of carriage of Stena et al.. Sorry if I confused you.

What happens when the ferry lands in NI?

 

[awol]

What happens when the ferry lands in NI?

They tie it up?

 

[Quandary]

Northern Ireland is part of the UK and yachts with flares go back and forth across the N. Channel every day. Possession of pyrotechnics is now similarly regulated to the rules in the UK, though there is more control on purchasing.
So as advised, you can get the ferry companies clearance to carry them, you are not crossing an international border or passing through customs but you may be possibly be subject to a random check, more likely in Stranraer than Larne in my experience. They are looking for illegal immigrants, drugs and meat from strange places but if you are stopped and questioned about the contents of your car I would advise 'declaring' your marine pyrotechnics rather than have them discovered.
If I was travelling with them in my car I would not burden the ferry company with the responsibility, just stow them somewhere safe and discreet, ideally with my other marine gear and then carry on to my destination in ignorance. If anyone stopped me I would answer their questions truthfully and not try to hide anything. It all depends a bit on how suspicious you look, if you look more like a leisure sailor rather than a terrorist it helps. Many N. Irish people are pleased to live within the U.K. and would be appalled by the idea of internal border controls.

The 'firearms license' guff is nonsense, you do have to get a permit from the police station to purchase flares etc, but you are not doing that, the upside is when you want to dispose of them you can take them to a police station.

 

[SHUG]

If buying you need Application for Consent.

Yes...but... I am not buying flares in NI so I don't need an Application for Consent.
The Shipping Company has a list of Dangerous Goods and marine pyrotechtnic flares are not included.
Its a confusing inconsistency that you require Police Consent to buy flares in Northern Ireland but you can freely undertake personal import.......or can you?

 

[Quandary]

Yes...but... I am not buying flares in NI so I don't need an Application for Consent.
The Shipping Company has a list of Dangerous Goods and marine pyrotechtnic flares are not included.
Its a confusing inconsistency that you require Police Consent to buy flares in Northern Ireland but you can freely undertake personal import.......or can you?

As someone who visits N.I. regularly complete with pyrotechnics I think I would prefer not to ask the question above, in case there was an answer that I would be better not to hear. I would prefer to continue to proceed west using the laws of common sense even if combined with ignorance. I know from experience that it is normal for N.I. yachties to buy flares in Scotland when visiting to avoid the form filling. This could become the northern equivalent of the red diesel fiasco so why not let sleeping dogs lie.
I have never heard of anyone being prosecuted for possession of distress flares and I lived in and sailed from Co. Antrim for many years.

 

[BERT T]

FLARES

Travel with P&O and on a conventional ferry, not the HSS.

 

[alant]

They tie it up?

Whoo!
Slow witted as well!

 

[GrahamM376]

Other countries have restrictions on buying flares as well. Ever since some brainless tw** let one off at a football match in Portugal, one has to apply with boat documents to the police for a permit to buy them but no restrictions on having them on board. I have bo idea whether any restrictions on shore movements with them.

 

[saltylegs]

Northern Ireland is part of the UK and yachts with flares go back and forth across the N. Channel every day. Possession of pyrotechnics is now similarly regulated to the rules in the UK, though there is more control on purchasing.
So as advised, you can get the ferry companies clearance to carry them, you are not crossing an international border or passing through customs but you may be possibly be subject to a random check, more likely in Stranraer than Larne in my experience. They are looking for illegal immigrants, drugs and meat from strange places but if you are stopped and questioned about the contents of your car I would advise 'declaring' your marine pyrotechnics rather than have them discovered.
If I was travelling with them in my car I would not burden the ferry company with the responsibility, just stow them somewhere safe and discreet, ideally with my other marine gear and then carry on to my destination in ignorance. If anyone stopped me I would answer their questions truthfully and not try to hide anything. It all depends a bit on how suspicious you look, if you look more like a leisure sailor rather than a terrorist it helps. Many N. Irish people are pleased to live within the U.K. and would be appalled by the idea of internal border controls.

The 'firearms license' guff is nonsense, you do have to get a permit from the police station to purchase flares etc, but you are not doing that, the upside is when you want to dispose of them you can take them to a police station.

Sound advice.
the only scare I had was going to Oban from NI fully equipped with safety gear, flares etc to buy a boat which turned out to be a shed.
so had to come back into NI via the ferry carrying the same flares in the water tight container this was early 90's but thankfully the sniffers didn't pick them up