Armed police flock to port as Bibby Stockholm migrant barge arrival nears

Armed police have arrived at Portland Port ahead of the arrival of the Bibby Stockholm barge for asylum seekers. The 305ft vessel will home up to 500 migrants despite widespread criticism.

Photos taken today (June 8) show armed officers docked at the port in Dorset as they take part in training exercises. It is understood the training is for a worst-case scenario, such as if a riot broke out on board the barge.

As reported by DorsetLive, the Bibby Stockholm docked in Falmouth last month to be checked and refurbished. It will soon head to Portland Port ahead of the arrival of the migrants.

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The barge is part of a new scheme from the Government that aims to move asylum seekers on from hotel accommodation. According to the Home Office, asylum seeker hotels cost the British public around £6million every day.

The Bibby Stockholm is set to house over 500 men in 220 berths. However, many local residents have questioned why Portland Port is suitable for such a scheme.

There has also been discussion around whether the barge is humane to host migrants, transport links to the wider county and region and its impact on healthcare. Despite the criticism, Portland Port has continued to work with the Home Office, NHS, police, emergency services and other agencies in order to “ensure the safe arrival and operation of the vessel, and to minimise its impact locally and maximise the benefits of its stay”.

The barge will remain at the port for at least 18 months. It will only house single adult male asylum seekers in the latter stages of their asylum applications.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “The pressure on the asylum system has continued to grow and requires us to look at a range of accommodation options which offer better value for the British taxpayer than expensive hotels. This is why we continue to source new alternative sites and vessels to accommodate migrants, which are more manageable for communities, as our European neighbours are doing.

“We understand the concerns of local communities and will work closely with councils and key partners to manage the impact of using these sites, including liaising with local police to make sure appropriate arrangements are in place.”

Meanwhile, the leader of Dorset Council, Cllr Spencer Flower, added that he had “serious reservations about the appropriateness of Portland Port in this scenario and we remain opposed to the proposals”. He noted: “However, like all local agencies, we have statutory responsibilities to fulfill and collectively we want to ensure robust arrangements are in place if this goes ahead.”

The council leader added: “We still have unanswered questions which we are waiting for the Home Office and the barge operator to respond to. I want to reassure local people and businesses that Dorset Council, along with its trusted partners, is working to address concerns.”

Local meetings have been held in recent weeks with community groups and councillors from Dorset Council, Portland Town Council, Weymouth Town Council, Weymouth and Portland Chamber of Commerce and Weymouth Business Improvement District. The meetings aim to air any concerns about the barge and reassure residents.

Protests have also been held near the port, with residents keen to make their point clear.

Bill Reeves, Portland Port chief executive, said: “We are very grateful to our elected representatives, business organisations and local community groups for attending these meetings. The sessions are a welcome opportunity to listen to their concerns, answer questions, give clarification and provide more information about the accommodation facility.

“With the Home Office, we started organising most of the meetings some time ago and we aim to keep the lines of communication open with further meetings as well as information on our website and through the media. We appreciate that some in the community still have genuine concerns but we hope that people are beginning to understand more about the accommodation facility and the work that is going on to make it a success.”

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