The British government has confirmed that it intends to house around 500 male migrants on a floating barge in Portland harbor in southern England.
This is the first time that a "berthed vessel" in the UK will be used accommodate asylum seekers, according to a government press release from April 5. The ship will, in this case, be a floating barge with an accommodation block built on it.
Using the barge "will reduce the reliance on expensive hotels and deliver a more orderly, cost-effective and sustainable asylum accommodation system," the government said. As already reported, the barge will be moored in Portland Port, in Dorset in southern England.
Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick said that using the barge would ease the pressure on the government's use of hotel accommodation, which it says costs the UK £6 million per day (almost €7 million), to house around 50,000 asylum seekers. The government hasn't confirmed how much the total costs of using the barge will add up to.
The Times newspaper however speculated that it would cost around £20,000 (around €22,800) per day to hire and berth the vessel in question, called Bibby Stockholm. It added that further costs will be incurred for providing food and energy for the asylum seekers on board as well as for hiring staff to provide security and run the floating accommodation block.
An alternative to hotels
"This is part of the wider efforts to secure alternative, more appropriate accommodation than expensive hotels," Jenrick explained as the plan was unveiled.
The UK government says that the barge will provide "basic and functional accommodation, and healthcare provision, catering facilities and 24/7 security will be in place on board to minimise the disruption to local communities."
In the past, the Bibby Stockholm vessel has been used to accommodate asylum seekers for the Dutch government -- as well as for workers in the energy sector.
Sources who have worked in the port of Portland already told The Times newspaper that getting in and out of the port is like entering an airport, highlighting that people who will be berthed there will effectively be living under high security conditions, and would not be free to come and go just as they please.
Jenrick said that "all accommodation will meet our legal obligations and we will work closely with the local community to address their concerns, including through financial support."
The Chief Executive of Portland Port, Bill Reeves, added that his staff were "keen to play our part in the national effort to house some of the thousands of people needing accommodation."
In response to dissenting local voices, Reeves said he would "encourage everyone in the community to approach this with an open mind and help us show other areas just how successful this type of initiative can be, both for the migrants and the local community."
Local opposition
The government says they intend the Bibby Stockholm to be operational for at least 18 months, adding that it will "stay berthed in the port during that time." The BBC reported on Thursday (April 6) that they thought asylum seekers would start to board the barge in June or July this year.
Richard Drax, the local MP from the Conservative Party, has however already expressed his opposition to the idea. On Monday, (April 3), he called the idea "unworkable" on his website, saying he had already told the Home Secretary that there were many reasons why the idea might be unworkable.
On April 4, Drax said he he thought the government should have had "the courtesy to consult with us before the announcement was made." He added that he had spent at least 90 minutes giving press interviews on the issue and chasing the government for information which he says he was only getting from the British press.
Drax, who prior to becoming an MP served in the British Army and also worked as a journalist, said he had been working with Dorset Council and the police and crime commissioner to "work up a joint position that we can all get behind.
"Legal action is being considered," he added.
Tackling asylum backlog more cost-effective, say NGOs
Criticism of the government's new accommodation plans has also come from various NGOs and organizations who work with refugees and asylum seekers. About 171 organizations, including the Refugee Council, have written to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak urging him to "listen to common sense," reported The Guardian on April 6.
The NGOs propose instead that the government put more effort into getting rid of the asylum backlog -- rather than housing asylum seekers in what they consider to be unsuitable barracks, barges and hotels.
According to the Guardian, the letter to the prime minister also states that "the safest, quickest and most cost-effective way to end the use of hotels and fix the problems in our asylum accommodation system would be through making fair and timely decisions on people's asylum claims."
The CEO of the Refugee Council, Enver Solomon, told the BBC's Newsnight program that he wanted to see people "being given safe routes so they could come here, without having to lose their lives. I also want to see people treated fairly and with compassion."
Solomon added that all people entering the UK should be given a "fair hearing" on their asylum claims or their reasons for fleeing their country, instead of being branded "illegal" because of the way they entered Britain, i.e. by using irregular channels.