Migrants have returned to the Bibby Stockholm accommodation barge located in Portland, Dorset, amid protests at the port gates. A coach carrying the migrants arrived at the Bibby Stockholm
just before 13:00 BST. The vessel, with the capacity to house up to 500 men awaiting the outcomes of their asylum applications, had been evacuated in August due to the discovery of Legionella bacteria in the water supply. The Home Office has now declared it to be "safe and secure."
The government has argued that using vessels as alternative accommodation, as some European countries do, is a more cost-effective and manageable solution for British taxpayers compared to costly hotels.
Approximately 30 protesters gathered at the port gates holding banners that read "Scrap the prison barge! Refugees welcome." According to Candy Udwin from Stand Up To Racism Dorset, some of the individuals who had been residing on the Bibby Stockholm found it prison-like, difficult to leave, and disconnected from the community.
In August, all 39 migrants aboard the vessel were disembarked as a precaution due to the presence of Legionella bacteria, less than a week after their initial arrival. Legionella bacteria can cause Legionnaires' disease, a type of pneumonia.
Asylum seekers have been informed of their re-embarkation, and it was emphasized that all asylum accommodation continues to be provided on a "no-choice basis."
An anonymous asylum seeker expressed concerns about the return to the vessel, stating that they had not seen their family for nine months and felt free when housed in a hotel. They found the barge crowded and likened it to a prison where a single virus could have widespread effects.
This development follows a High Court ruling against local councillor Carralyn Parkes, who challenged the housing of asylum seekers on the ship's lawfulness. Dorset Council also expressed no planning jurisdiction over the Bibby Stockholm in Portland Harbour, and the vessel remains part of the government's cost-reduction efforts for migrant accommodation.
The Home Office believes that such projects, like the Bibby Stockholm, will be more affordable for taxpayers and provide safe and secure housing for asylum seekers. The barge, chartered by the government for 18 months, arrived at the port in July, having been previously used to house homeless individuals and asylum seekers in Germany and the Netherlands. Photo buy Tim Green, Wikimedia commons.