LPG (Propane) Bottle on Ferry from UK

[Lord Pig-Pen]

Can anyone answer this simple question as LD Lines and the other more expensive ferry company dont seem to be able to give a straight answer.......

Q. Can I take a gas bottle in my car on the ferry?

Answers so far. Yes, if its in a caravan.
No, None at all.
Yes but only a little one, and it must be declared at customs.
Does it run your car?
Yes, If you are on a freight boat.
Yes, Its the tank on your motorhome, yes?

See my dilemma?

Can anyone shed any light on my problem, as we need to have Propane for the cooker and I am sure that the French fittings will not match UK propane bottles... unless I am wrong?

Please add anything useful as I wont be able to get into the  LD Lines Office in Pompey until Monday and am getting itchy feet... need to know now!

[Barry]

Not used LD, but on other ferry's have never been searched for gas cylinders, which always seem to be packed at the bottom of the boot under other gear.

[Kpy]

One way round the problem is to buy the gas in France along wth the clip-on adaptor (costs a few euros) which will fit on to the hose to your cooker.

[Paddy_NL]

Gas bottles and transport, tell me all about it. If I remember correctly that is class 7 of the Dangerous Goods-act.

Used to work for an air freight transport company over a decade ago at Heathrow, and some Sheik's wife bought some Dunhill lighters in some shop at Park Lane to take back to Saudi Arabia. Box of lighters was refused at the gate as is was classed "dangerous goods". So it had to go on an air freighter. SAA only flies freighters out of Brussels, so the small (but very expensive!) box of empty lighters had to go from London to Brussels. I couldn't get it on a bloody ferry! I can remember even P&O refused to take the truck "upper deck" (dangerous goods are normally placed on deck on freight ferries) because of the danger Class 7 is placed in. Took me about three months to find some Belgian driver who didn't care and put the box in his cab, so the box eventually got to Saudi Arabia via Brussels. Rules and the law

I'd say stick it underneath the rest of your luggage and forget you ever saw it. Probably the best way to get it across...

[Muzorewa]

Eurotunnel (who must be at least as stringent as the ferries) stipulate a maximum of 47kg cylinder and no more than 80% full.  When quizzed as to how they or I were to establish that it be no more than 80% full, they say that they are only 80% full when full. 

Plus they definitely won't accept it if it's an LPG-powered vehicle, and you have to declare it on arrival, so no doubt they would then check.  If you arrive with a fully-sorted camper and tell them you have no gas, they are possibly going to be a little suspicious.....

[rcutler]

I have never had a problem even in Cars. The Gas cylinders are less volotile then some twat lighting up on the car decks.

IMHO, a gas cylinder less the 15KG is OK, We always take two 7KG with us to LM even thought they are in a camper they are not held in special lockers.

[DelBoy]

........ they say that they are only 80% full when full. 

They are correct, Muz.  NO LPG container is filled to more than 80% of it's total capacity.   Butane & Propane have a natural property that they become liquid at about 107psi which reduces the volume by a factor of 250.  But this liquid is VERY susceptible to temperature change, and the volume increases dramatically when the temperature rises.  Hence 20% of the capacity of the container is always left to allow for this expansion.  The filler valve on the tank in LPG-powered vehicles contains a mechanism which automatically shuts down at this level when the vehicle is being re-fuelled at a pump.

Del

[Lorry]

I thought I'd look up the T&C of my ferry company and then saw that the thread started with LD.

See para 4.11 "The Passenger may not bring on board any goods or articles of a dangerous nature..."  They may confiscate or detain etc

I think this translates to "they don't really care until you cause trouble" and then its an excuse to chuck you off.  I've never been stopped or asked anything at Portsmouth, and often carry an axe, cooking knives, gas bottles, children, pointed sticks etc, but you always do in a caravan.

Caravans and campers often get a look at on the boat deck, as some people leave the fridges running on gas.  This is probably safe, but it is a naked flame.

What's worse is 4.17 "Passengers are not permitted to take on board alcohol for use during the voyage and the Carrier and/or its servants and/or agents may confiscate such alcohol."

[Gordonwr]

Got hassled by stropy security woman at Newhaven on the way out a couple of years ago and asked why we didn't have a sticker declaring the fact that we were carrying two  medium gas bottles for the cooker.
Made to drive to the front of the line of cars with our hazard lights while she informed the captain!! Nothing heard afterwards so I assume he told her to p..s off !! The next vehicle she sent down after us was a VW van, side door open and a guy with his feet  resting on a couple of full sized bottles whilst smoking !!

[Canada Phil]

Can anyone answer this simple question as LD Lines and the other more expensive ferry company dont seem to be able to give a straight answer.......

Q. Can I take a gas bottle in my car on the ferry?

Answers so far. Yes, if its in a caravan.
No, None at all.
Yes but only a little one, and it must be declared at customs.
Does it run your car?
Yes, If you are on a freight boat.
Yes, Its the tank on your motorhome, yes?

See my dilemma?

Can anyone shed any light on my problem, as we need to have Propane for the cooker and I am sure that the French fittings will not match UK propane bottles... unless I am wrong?

Please add anything useful as I wont be able to get into the  LD Lines Office in Pompey until Monday and am getting itchy feet... need to know now!

M'Lord,
         I Never ask permission. It's easier to Beg Forgivness
 Canada Phil

[Chris (Liverpool Boys)]

ADR carriage of dangerous goods regulations do not apply to non comercial vehicles ie your car however imdg regulations still apply and so your gas bottles should be declared so if the boat catches fire they can lob them and you car/lorry/motorhome off the side to contain the danger. Hence why lorries carrying dangerous goods are placed on open decks.

Do what loads of transport companys do put them in black bin bags or black shrink wrap and bury them under a load of other gear!!

I of course would never do such a thing officer 

[Lorry]

Got hassled by stropy security woman at Newhaven on the way out .....

Thats the only place I've been stopped.  We owned up to 3 Campingaz bottles.  It was the year after 9/11.  Put to the back of the queue whilst I was reported to the Captain

The stupid git asked if I had any knives too.  Do they expect me to eat with my fingers.

[Lord Pig-Pen]

LD Lines Portsmouth Office confirmed yesterday that they do not allow any Propane bottles of any size to be carried in cars... Full Stop.
If I had a caravan with a bottle in it then it would be ok, but not just the bottle in a car

Luckily Rick C has said that he will take one over for me in the motor home. Cheers

[jpchenet]

LD Lines Portsmouth Office confirmed yesterday that they do not allow any Propane bottles of any size to be carried in cars... Full Stop.
If I had a caravan with a bottle in it then it would be ok, but not just the bottle in a car

Luckily Rick C has said that he will take one over for me in the motor home. Cheers

We've done LD for the past two years and taken them without any searches etc. Even when it was pretty obvious that one of the items on the trailer was a Gas BBQ!

[DelBoy]

We've done LD for the past two years and taken them without any searches etc. Even when it was pretty obvious that one of the items on the trailer was a Gas BBQ!

Maybe that's the reason Mark - in the trailer.

But I can't see the difference between carrying a gas bottle in a car or in a caravan - they're all stowed below decks.

Del