Foreign Affairs

A three-story apartment building on a floating platform

The mega barge where the British government will put migrants has arrived in the UK

The boat will be operational for 18 months and will provide accommodation and basic services to 500 adult men. Sunak's response to illegal immigration has been criticised by human rights organisations and some local Tory representatives.

09/05/2023

PA Media

The mega barge chartered by the British government and destined to host 500 migrants has arrived in the United Kingdom.

The Bibby Stockholm is from this morning in Falmouth where it will be retuned before being transferred to Portland, Dorset.

The vessel, a 3-storey apartment building with 222 rooms on a floating platform, will be operational for 18 months and "significantly cheaper than hotels," the British Home Office said.

The facility, according to the government, will provide accommodation and basic services (health care and catering, as well as safety on board) to 500 unaccompanied adult men waiting for a response to asylum claims.

The choice of the Sunak government, which has made the repression of illegal immigration one of its priorities, has been criticized by human rights organizations who consider the accommodation inadequate and oppressive and also by some conservative representatives concerned about the impact on local communities.

The floating platform will reduce "the unsustainable pressure on the British asylum system" and "the costs to taxpayers caused by the significant increase in landings" on British shores.