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Bibby Stockholm at Falmouth Docks in 2023
History
Name	Bibby Stockholm
Owner	Bibby Marine Ltd
Port of registry	Bridgetown, Barbados
Builder	Nederlandse Scheepsbouw
Completed	1976
Identification	8869476
General characteristics
Type	Accommodation barge
Tonnage	10,659 tons
Length	93.44 m (306.6 ft)
Beam	27.43 m (90.0 ft)
Draught	2.2 m (7.2 ft)
Decks	3
Notes

Bibby Stockholm, an engineless barge, is an accommodation vessel owned by the shipping and marine operations company Bibby Line.

History

The ship was built in 1976 and is flagged in Barbados. It was converted into an accommodation barge in 1992. It was formerly known as Floatel Stockholm and Dino I.

From 1994 to 1998, it was used to house the homeless, including some asylum seekers, in Hamburg, Germany. In 2005, it began to be used by the Netherlands to detain asylum seekers in Rotterdam.

In 2013, the barge was used by Petrofac as accommodation for construction workers at the Shetland Gas Plant. During this time, it was berthed at Lerwick, Scotland. In 2015, a man from Saltcoats, Ayrshire called Her Majesty's Coastguard to report that two bombs had been planted on barges: the accommodation ship Gemini, and the Bibby Stockholm. He admitted a charge of threatening or abusive behaviour and was sentenced to a six-month tagging order. The barge was finally towed away from Lerwick by the Cypriot tug Mustang on 31 May 2017, although it had been unused for over a year. It was subsequently towed to the Danish island of Bornholm.

In August 2017, there was discussion by a property management company about leasing the barge to provide university accommodation to 400 students in Galway, Ireland, along with the Bibby Bergen. However, the plan was generally not workable; the existing docks were not suitable, and the Supreme Court of Ireland had ruled that such a use would require planning permission.

In June 2018, the barge was moved to Piteå, Sweden, to assist in the construction of Markbygden Wind Farm. It stayed there until at least 2019.

UK asylum containment site

In April 2023, the Barbados Maritime Ship Registry revealed the Government of the United Kingdom intended to use the Bibby Stockholm to house asylum seekers. The Government later confirmed it intended to bring the barge to Portland Port in Dorset, stating it would "offer better value for money for taxpayers than hotels", referring to the £5.6 million daily bill for accommodating asylum seekers in hotels. However, The Guardian reported in July 2023 that the barge may only make a small cost saving.

The plan is for the three-storey barge to stay in the port for at least 18 months, containing 506 asylum applicants waiting for the outcome of Home Office decisions on their cases. The barge also contains healthcare provision, catering facilities, a multi-faith prayer room, a gym and 24-hour security. The plans met with widespread opposition from various humanitarian organisations, the local South Dorset MP Richard Drax and local authorities. Dorset Council explored legal action to prevent the barge from arriving. Nevertheless, the barge left dry dock in Falmouth on the morning of 17 July 2023 after several weeks' delay, and arrived at Portland Port the following morning.

In July 2023, an open letter signed by over fifty NGOs and campaigners, including the Refugee Council, called on the barge's owner, Bibby Marine, to acknowledge its founder John Bibby's links to the Atlantic slave trade and to end the practice of containing asylum seekers on its vessels. Later that month, a Financial Times investigation found the barge lacked fire exits and a Guardian report highlighted safety concerns, including potential overcrowding along with narrow corridors and a lack of lifejackets on board. The Times also reported there were concerns about fire safety. The Fire Brigades Union questioned how firefighters would be able to cross narrow corridors and put out fires on a barge with 500 people as desired by the government, when it had been retrofitted for 222 only. The Home Office said the barge would "adhere to all relevant health and safety standards."

On 7 August 2023, it was reported that the first group of 15 asylum-seekers had boarded the vessel, but a group of about 20 had refused to board. On the same day, Dorset Council told the barge's operators that Legionella bacteria had been confirmed on the barge. The asylum-seekers were evacuated a few days later, on 11 August.

On the same morning that the first asylum-seekers boarded the barge, Carralyn Parkes (the Mayor of Portland, but acting in a private capacity) wrote to the Home Secretary Suella Braverman to announce that she was seeking a judicial review to challenge the failure to obtain necessary planning permission to use the Bibby Stockholm barge at Portland Port. On 21 August, Parkes added the Marine Management Organisation as a co-defendant and informed Dorset Council that their continued failure to enforce planning rules over the barge would result in their also being named as co-defendants. On 27 August 2023, it was announced that the Fire Brigades Union had sent a pre-action protocol letter to the Home Office, warning of a legal challenge. According to the Guardian, the Home Office had failed to arrange fire drills for residents of the barge or adequate risk assessments of the vessel.

On 19 October, three Just Stop Oil protesters were arrested after obstructing a coach moving migrants back on to the barge.

On 12 December, it was reported that an asylum seeker housed in the barge by the Home Office had committed suicide.

On 27 December 2023 a report was published in error describing the use of the Bibby Stockholm as discriminatory on age and sex, although it noted that there were provisions in the Equality Act that might allow such discrimination.

On 2 May 2024, forty-five protesters were arrested after obstructing a coach moving asylum seekers in Peckham, London on the way to the barge.

The Bibby Stockholm's contract to hold asylum seekers is set to expire in January 2025, after which it will not be renewed according to the Home Office. The final eight asylum seekers left the barge at the end of November 2024.

See also

• English Channel migrant crossings (2018–present)

References

1. "Factsheet" (PDF). n01.0d2.myftpupload.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 April 2023. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
2. "Bibby Stockholm". Marine Traffic. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
3. Haws, Duncan (1978). Merchant Fleets in Profile: The Burma boats: Henderson & Bibby. P. Stephens – via books.google.com.
4. ^ "BalticShipping.com". balticshipping.com. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
5. "[PDF] Große Anfrage. Bürgerschaft Der Freien Und Hansestadt Hamburg Drucksache 20/ Wahlperiode - Free Download PDF" [Big request. Citizenship Of The Free And Hanseatic City Of Hamburg Printed matter 20/ election period]. silo.tips. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
6. Koch, Sannah (26 October 1994). "Winternotprogramm: Ist mehr wirklich mehr?" [Winter emergency program: is more really more?]. Die Tageszeitung: taz (in German). p. 22. ISSN 0931-9085. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
7. Adu, Aletha (3 April 2023). "Home Office to announce barge as accommodation for asylum seekers". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
8. Davis, Barney (3 April 2023). "Pictured: 1970s Mega-barge Home Office wants to house 500 refugees in". Evening Standard. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
9. "SIBC - Home". sibc.co.uk. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
10. ^ "Tagging order for man who claimed bombs were on barges". The Shetland Times. 27 August 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
11. "Last 'floatel' leaves Lerwick Harbour". The Shetland Times. 31 May 2017. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
12. "Projects". Shetland Marineco Ltd. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
13. "'Floating' accommodation for students being explored in Galway". The Irish Times. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
14. White, Ian (18 October 2018). "Bibby Maritime achieves full utilisation". Bibby Line Group. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
15. "EXCLUSIVE: Pictured: Three-storey barge that could become floating hotel for refugees". Sunday Mirror. 1 April 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
16. "Asylum seeker barge plan could face legal challenge". BBC News. 4 April 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
17. "Home Office to announce barge as accommodation for asylum seekers". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
18. "Migrants 'to be moved to giant barge and former RAF bases' in bid to slash £5.6m a day hotel costs". LBC News. 29 March 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
19. "Housing asylum seekers on barge may only save £10 a person daily, report says". The Guardian. 11 July 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
20. "Barge will house migrants set for asylum, not deportation". The Times. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
21. ^ White, Marcus; Easton, Mark (7 August 2023). "Bibby Stockholm: First asylum seekers board housing barge in Dorset". BBC News. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
22. "Vessel to accommodate migrants". GOV.UK. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
23. "Barge to house 500 male migrants off Dorset coast, says government". BBC News. 5 April 2023. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
24. Stafford, Stephen; Davis, Matthew (9 August 2023). "Bibby Stockholm: Migrants changing minds over move to barge - Robert Jenrick". BBC News.
25. "Plans for new sites in UK for asylum seekers 'risk humanitarian catastrophe'". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
26. "Dorset MP Richard Drax speaks out over Portland Port barge plan". Dorset Echo. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
27. Syal, Rajeev (3 May 2023). "Dorset Tories voice concerns about barge for asylum seekers". The Guardian.
28. "Bibby Stockholm begins journey to Portland Port". Dorset Echo. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
29. "Controversial Bibby Stockholm barge arrives in Portland amid protests". Dorset Live. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
30. "Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade – Database (voyage IDs 81732, 83481 and 81106)". SlaveVoyages. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
31. "An Open Letter to Bibby Marine". Refugee Council. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
32. Clare, Horatio (22 July 2023). "A boat to stop the boats? Bibby Stockholm and the battle over asylum".
33. "First 50 people coming to Bibby Stockholm asylum barge despite safety worries". The Guardian. 27 July 2023. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
34. "Bibby Stockholm 'could become floating Grenfell'". The Times. 31 July 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
35. Nicholls, Catherine; Sana Noor Haq (8 August 2023). "Asylum-seekers board UK's controversial 'deathtrap' housing barge". CNN.
36. Saull, Peter; Wadey, Toby. "Bibby Stockholm: Asylum barge not a death trap, minister Grant Shapps says". BBC News. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
37. Taylor, Diane (13 August 2023). "Contractors told about legionella on day asylum seekers boarded barge". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
38. "Migrants being moved off barge over bacteria fears". BBC News. 11 August 2023. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
39. Lawrence, Tom (8 August 2023). "Portland mayor's legal challenge over asylum seeker barge". Dorset Echo. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
40. "Bibby Stockholm: Mayor looks to widen legal challenge over barge". BBC News. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
41. Syal, Rajeev; Taylor, Diane (27 August 2023). "Braverman's plan to house UK asylum seekers on 'deathtrap' barge faces legal hurdle". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
42. Mitib, Ali (19 October 2023). "Just Stop Oil protesters block coach taking migrants to Bibby Stockholm". The Times. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
43. Turner, Lauren; Symonds, Tom (12 December 2023). "Bibby Stockholm: Asylum seeker on board barge dies". BBC News. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
44. Syal, Rajeev; Taylor, Diane; Crerar, Pippa; Gentleman, Amelia (12 December 2023). "Calls grow for Bibby Stockholm barge to close after apparent suicide of resident". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
45. "Bibby Stockholm discrimination report 'published in error'". www.bbc.com. 30 December 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
46. "Bibby Stockholm: 45 arrests as protesters block coach in bid to stop asylum seekers being moved to barge". BBC News. 2 May 2024. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
47. "Bibby Stockholm migrant barge to be closed". BBC News. 23 July 2024. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
48. Cridland, Sophie (26 November 2024). "Final asylum seeker leaves Bibby Stockholm". BBC News. Retrieved 27 November 2024.

External links

• Official website

50°34′08″N 2°26′07″W / 50.5688°N 2.4353°W / 50.5688; -2.4353

• 1976 ships
• Barges
• Immigration to the United Kingdom
• Dormitory ships
• Immigration detention centres and prisons in England