The French and Red Diesel

[properjob]

I know that the subject has been raised many times, but I find the search facility on this forum absolutely useless, so I will raise it again. Sorry.

What is the French position regards red diesel in cans. I know that for many years they have banned filling a vessels tank from cans, but what is the situation if you just carry a can or cans containing red diesel for refilling the vessels tank offshore in an emergency ?

I know all about keeping all fuel receipts to prove it was bought legally in the UK.

 

[MoodySabre]

Stuff on RYA site re this.

For better searching here use Google and enter
"red diesel site:ybw.com/forums"
without the " of course.

 

[maxi77]

As I understand it red in cans is severely frowned upon countries such as Franch and Holland, so my cans have white in them and have never contained red. As for banning refueling from cans, in the the marinas I have passed through people have been openly filling the tanks from cans despite there being pumps in the marina.

 

[Cantata]

No red in cans outside UK, period.
Never heard of any problem/prohibition with white in cans.

 

[Bosun Higgs]

Had a chat about this with some froggie yotties in st peter port. they were happily filling cans of red.

they were insistent that there is no real problem in France with red diesel in cans. they pointed out that the UK south coast and the CIs were full of French using red diesel in the summer, not to mention those who come over from ( say ) Dielette to the CI just to fill up.

So I suppose it's like the UK. If you come across the radar of the authorities and they wish to "punish" you , there is always some law or rule you can be said to have broken. Just keep a low and servile profile and you'll be OK.

 

[Sinc]

Does anyone know what the penalty for having red in cans would be - or for that matter what it would be for having red in the tank and no receipt?

 

[Stork_III]

2 years ago, the Customs in Vlissingham told me that the penelty in Netherlands was €4.60/litre of fuel tank capacity.

 

[dt4134]

No red in cans outside UK, period.

Never heard of problems with red (or green) in cans in RoI.

 

[[10753]]

Just finished cruise along the Brittany coast and I used cans all the time as its safer when filling the tanks to prevent blow backs. French HM's openly filled them for me and were quite happy with me filling the boat this way. As for red diesel I've never been questioned.

 

[PeterGibbs]

Does anyone know what the penalty for having red in cans would be - or for that matter what it would be for having red in the tank and no receipt?

The fact of having red diesel in cans when sailing in the EU is not in itself a punishable offence -if you can show you have paid VAT in the country of origin (UK) and have good reason for carrying them, the law has been satisfied - as with red in the main tank. I was checked this summer in Holland and produced my UK VAT paid invoice: there was no enquiry as to what was in my two spare cans. There were no more questions.

The authorities are rumoured to take the position that cans with red diesel can be traded, so profit made at the expense of the state etc etc. But I think a matelot would have to work hard to raise an official's dander to get to the point of a fine for "just a small reserve, officer, just in case; you see my main tank is suspect and I don't want to be engineless and cause an incident, I'm sure you understand" etc

Incidentally I was stopped in Holland this summer on not less than 4 occasions, each one of varying intensity of inspection. You know how they do these things - the sailor who puts up a show of being violated gets it in the neck, so you do the other thing and welcome them aboard - they're only doing their job. But from this summer's experience I have to think there are an awful lot of them skidding about on fast boats now....so get used to it I say.

PWG

 

[Cantata]

Just finished cruise along the Brittany coast and I used cans all the time as its safer when filling the tanks to prevent blow backs. French HM's openly filled them for me and were quite happy with me filling the boat this way. As for red diesel I've never been questioned.

The problem is not cans per se, it's having red in cans. Received wisdom is that the continentals will take a dim view and escort you to the nearest cashpoint in order to extract a heavy fine from you.
As always it appears that the law is applied intermittently. If you are going to ignore their regulations, you have to accept the possibility of needing to be able argue fluently in whatever the local language is; it's one thing to be bold on here, and quite another to be faced with two burly French douanes or gendarmes packing side-arms and refusing to acknowledge any knowledge of English whatsoever.