White diesel for propulsion

Published: Thursday, 22 September 2011

THE European Commission is demanding that white diesel be used for propulsion for boats, and is threatening infringement proceedings against the Government for allowing red diesel to be so used.

The commission believes that use of red diesel for both propulsion and heating contravenes the rules, in that red diesel should be used for a boat's domestic use only and that white diesel at the full rate of tax should be used for propulsion for pleasure craft.

Accepted

The present situation of varying duty in relation to use for propulsion and the rebated rate for diesel used for heating and lighting, was brought in three years ago, and has been accepted.

But the commission want private pleasure craft to use white diesel for propulsion, and should red diesel also be required, is should be  by a separate tank, which in most cases would be impractical  to install, particularly in narrowboats.

Also, it would be most unlikely that suppliers would go to the expense of an extra tank and equipment to be able to supply white diesel.

But of course, the legal wrangling will take years, so there should be no immediate concern to boaters.