# Gas Bottles on Ferries



## alecturn1 (Nov 13, 2009)

Went to France on Ferry last year with 2 x 13kg gas bottles on board motorhome no questions asked.Just been reading in motorhome magazine that they are now asking at the port and 11kg is max allowed is this just one ferry company or is it a new rule that applies to all ferries.?


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

That is news to me......

we have never had any problems with gas cylinders and are not aware of any changes....

1) which magazine was it?

2) did it quote any sources that can be checked? (Many magazine stories turn out to be rumours only an have no basis in fact)

3) which ferry company was it supposed to be?

4) which port?

5) were there any other comments made about this new ban? Since most MH are fitted with 2 cylinders it would affect virtually every vehicle if (and it's a big *IF*) it was true.....

The only check we have ever encountered is once (out of about 30 trips) when they checked the cylinders were switched off..... 

More details please so that others can check, meanwhile relax, it is probably journalistic freedom obtained from someone tapping a phone call and mis-hearing something said by a celebrity...... :lol:

Dave


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## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

Think that there has been a thread on this within last couple of months

Dick


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Thanks Dick;

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftoptitle-119619-feb-mmm-re-gas-bottles-on-ferries.html

Dave


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## alecturn1 (Nov 13, 2009)

Its this months MMM magazine someone wrote in about a dfds crossing from harwich to denmark they were told at the terminal they could not take 2 x 13kg bottles, 2 x 11kg was max.Reply from magazine editor was that they had checked DFDS standard terms and conditions and max gas permitted was 2 x !! kg


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Extract from DFDS Terms and Condtions;

_10.8 Passengers intending to travel with gas cylinders should inform the shipping line at the time of booking and not just prior to boarding. Gas cylinders must be adequately secured against the movement of the Ship; the supply must be shut off at the cylinders during the entire carriage; the integrity of the cylinders must be intact, at the commencement of the carriage. *The maximum possible amount of Propoane/Butane which can be carried is 47Kgs.* Oxygen/Acetylene gases may be carried only if carried for maintenance work. One acetylene or propane/butane cylinder up to 35Kg gross mass and one oxygen cylinder up to 40Kg gross mass may be carried but the cylinders should be less than 1m in height and disconnected from any equipment proir to boarding the vessel. No other class 2 or 3 flammable gases or liquids are permitted in the same vehicle. _

Source;

http://www.dfdsseaways.co.uk/customer-service/dover-dunkirk/terms-and-conditions/

That is the only reference that I can find, their General Booking Terms ad Conditions do not mention such things........

Dave


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

This is another of the _"My mate's uncle knows a chap whose window cleaner's Auntie Mary (you know - the one who had a canary!) met a bloke in the pub and he said . . . "_

A quick check of the DFDS Terms and Conditions (still under "Norfolkline BTW) gives . . .

10.8 Passengers intending to travel with gas cylinders should inform the shipping line at the time of booking and not just prior to boarding. Gas cylinders must be adequately secured against the movement of the Ship; the supply must be shut off at the cylinders during the entire carriage; the integrity of the cylinders must be intact, at the commencement of the carriage. The maximum possible amount of Propoane/Butane which can be carried is 47Kgs. Oxygen/Acetylene gases may be carried only if carried for maintenance work. One acetylene or propane/butane cylinder up to 35Kg gross mass and one oxygen cylinder up to 40Kg gross mass may be carried but the cylinders should be less than 1m in height and disconnected from any equipment proir to boarding the vessel. No other class 2 or 3 flammable gases or liquids are permitted in the same vehicle.

http://www.dfdsseaways.co.uk/customer-service/dover-dunkirk/terms-and-conditions/

Where does it mention 11kg maximum???

Dave


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## alecturn1 (Nov 13, 2009)

i am just quoting the magazine,seems a bit naughty them replying with an incorrect answer


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

alecturn1 said:


> Its this months MMM magazine someone wrote in about a dfds crossing from harwich to denmark they were told at the terminal they could not take 2 x 13kg bottles, 2 x 11kg was max.Reply from magazine editor was that they had checked DFDS standard terms and conditions and max gas permitted was 2 x !! kg


That would be OK if you could get 11kg cylinders. Propane (so far as I know) is only available in 6 or 13kg and 6 kg is a lot more expensive per kg.

At my local supplier 6kg is £20 (£3.33/kg) but 13kg is £25.50 (£1.96/kg).

Travel with Eurotunnel they allow up to 50kg.

http://www.eurotunnel.com/uk/site-information/lpg/


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

alecturn1 said:


> i am just quoting the magazine,seems a bit naughty them replying with an incorrect answer


That's journalistic license........

You know now that you can trust MHF to come up with the FACTS......

not worth buying the mags really is it? :lol: :lol:

Dave :lol:


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

Zebedee said:


> This is another of the _"My mate's uncle knows a chap whose window cleaner's Auntie Mary (you know - the one who had a canary!) met a bloke in the pub and he said . . . "_
> 
> A quick check of the DFDS Terms and Conditions (still under "Norfolkline BTW) gives . . .
> 
> ...


That isn't DFDS as in DFDS that is the DFDS formerly known as Norfolk Line. Different terms and conditions! :wink:

Harwich - Esbjerg now just states....



> Bottled Gas Cylinders & Fuel
> If you have bottled gas cylinders, please advise staff at check-in. Cylinders must be handed to the ship's crew. Petrol tanks may be full, but fuel in separate containers is not permitted.


I think it used to specify 2x11kg.


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

The reference to 11kg cylinders is still there and refers to the Newcastle - Amsterdam, Harwich - Esjberg, Copenhagen - Oslo and baltic routes.....

http://www.dfdsseaways.co.uk/customer-service/terms-and-conditions/

_"5. Accompanied Vehicles 
Passenger Vehicle Fares 
The prices advertised only apply to private passenger accompanied vehicles and trailers containing personal items as normally required for holidays or personal visits. Carriage of gas bottles and petrol: a maximum of 2 x 11 kg gas bottles (disconnected and turned off) and only 1 purpose-made petrol-can per motor vehicle (max 23.litres / 5 gallons) is allowed."_

http://www.dfdsseaways.co.uk/PublishingImages/legal/terms-and-conditions-dec-2012.pdf

No mention was made about this limit by any staff or checks made when we returned Esjberg - Harwich in June this year.

Pete


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

All as clear as mud!!!!


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

peejay said:


> and only 1 purpose-made petrol-can per motor vehicle (max 23.litres / 5 gallons) is allowed."[/i]
> e


Elsewhere it is stated that no fuel cans whatsoever are allowed and there is a reference to reserving the right to confiscate even empty ones. :roll:

Curiouser and curiouser.


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## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

Come on lads they are sailors not lawyers (we must have grounds for refusal, but campervans use 2x11kg, OK that's our limit then!)

To the untrained eye there is little difference between 2x11kg and 2x13kg. I would be indignant in the extreme to be turned back for that.

If that fails leave one bottle with them. :wink:  

Dick


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

I suspect they've cut & pasted somebody elses T&C's, and different branches have copied different sets. As in all these things, do the employees actually know the T&C's and check them? And would they know the difference between 11kg and 13kg? 

When we hear of somebody actually being turned away because their gas cylinders are too big would be the time to consider changing the cylinders :roll:


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

bognormike said:


> When we hear of somebody actually being turned away because their gas cylinders are too big would be the time to consider changing the cylinders :roll:


We have the letter by the person refused (Pauline & Bob Berry)and confirmation on page 11 of Feb issue MMM.
Also page 201 of March MMM


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## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

The article in March further complicates as it states that the same line (DFDS) says that the max. amount of gas on their Dover Dunkirk route is THREE X 15kg (total 45kg).

Sounds like a jobsworth somewhere.

Dick


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Grath said:


> We have the letter by the person refused (Pauline & Bob Berry)and confirmation on page 11 of Feb issue MMM.
> Also page 201 of March MMM


We also have loads of "_incontrovertible evidence_" that people are gassed in Southern France, sometimes with "_police corroboration_" in support . . . if we are stupid enough to believe it just because someone has written it in a public medium. :roll:

I'm obviously not getting at you Grath :wink: _(your post is convenient for a response, is all)_ but when was the last time anyone was even asked to open their gas locker at the check-in?

You can bet your life they would have been posting on here in a flash if it had happened . . . but it doesn't. :roll:

As BognorMike said, "When we hear of somebody actually being turned away because their gas cylinders are too big would be the time to consider changing the cylinders." . . . and even then we should wait for the full story to emerge.

It's a lot more fun to jump to conclusions though, and spread the doom and gloom? :lol: :lol: :lol:

Unfortunately, some members do believe the scare stories and become very worried as a result. *We have had some who were genuinely afraid to take their vans to France at all for fear of being gassed . . . and that is very sad! 8O*

Dave


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

Zebedee said:


> Grath said:
> 
> 
> > We have the letter by the person refused (Pauline & Bob Berry)and confirmation on page 11 of Feb issue MMM.
> ...


Dave, all I am trying to say is that we now have heard of someone turned away and MMM has printed the letter with a name supplied. OK, we don't personally know the people, but we should keep an open mind as MMM have. It does not matter to me in the slightest as I have refillable Alugas cylinders which just happen to be 11 kg.
My interpretation of it was that it was only on the North Sea crossing. Seems daft anyway and like you say, we have never been asked anything about gas except if it was turned off.
The same as last year about refilling bottles,we heard of people turned away for not having an external refill point or proper bottle fixings. We have never been checked or even asked and we do refill quite a few times while abroad and quite a few times by an attendant.
If it is that important to someone, they could always contact the ferry companies.


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

No arguments here Grath! :wink:

The most important point to me was my last one.

"Unfortunately, some members do believe the scare stories and become very worried as a result. *We have had some who were genuinely afraid to take their vans to France at all for fear of being gassed . . . and that is very sad*!"

I do think that is very unfortunate, and why we should try to keep a logical and balanced perspective in such threads as this!

Such a pity that people should have their enjoyment of motorhoming ruined by scare stories, _*most *_ of which are either blatant insurance scams or just hearsay passed on - for a variety of motives, some of them not very worthy! 8O 8O

Dave


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