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Portland Port: factsheet

Updated 15 October 2024

What is happening with the barge?

As part of the government’s commitment to clear the asylum backlog and fix the asylum system, the contract to use the Bibby Stockholm as temporary accommodation will not be renewed beyond January 2025. The Home Office released a statement in July confirming this decision: Contract for Bibby Stockholm not renewed past January 2025, the leader of Dorset Council has also made a public statement: Statement from Dorset Council re Bibby Stockholm contract, and the Council’s latest newsletter on the issue: Bibby Stockholm Update July 2024 - Dorset Council

Will any new asylum seekers be moved to the barge?

No, we are no longer allocating asylum seekers to the barge.

Was the barge appropriate for asylum seekers? What will happen to it now?

All individuals on board the barge have been provided with adequate, functional accommodation which meets all relevant legal requirements, and have been given appropriate care and support throughout their time on board. When the barge leaves Portland is a matter for Portland Port and Bibby Marine. Any decisions around its future use will be made by its owner, Bibby Marine, once the current lease expires in January.

When will the people on board leave? Will they move elsewhere in Dorset?

The wind down of the operation will be a carefully managed process taking place over several weeks. No-one currently on the barge will be moved to the Dorset Council area.

How will the decision to close the barge impact the local community?

The Home Office has worked closely with all statutory partners and stakeholders throughout the period the barge has been in operation, and we will continue to do so until the end of the lease in January 2025.

What will happen to the asylum claims of those on board?

Their cases will be progressed in due course as part of plans to clear the asylum backlog, with each claim determined on its own merits in line with current policy and guidance. Each individual will be given information explaining the process for progressing their claims, and will have access to legal representatives as well as private rooms for in person/phone discussions with those representatives. Each individual will be moved off the barge before their asylum decision is served, and no decisions will be served on the Bibby Stockholm.

How does this decision fit into the government’s wider asylum policy?

The government is determined to restore order to the asylum system so that it operates swiftly, firmly, and fairly; and ensures the rules are properly enforced. By transforming the asylum system, we will start to clear the backlog of claims and appeals, end the use of hotels, and reduce the cost of other asylum accommodation as soon as possible.

What future plans are there to locate asylum seekers in the Dorset area?

We will continue to engage with local authorities across the country on decisions concerning asylum accommodation in each area, but no-one currently on the Bibby Stockholm will be moved to Portland, Weymouth, or the wider Dorset Council area.

Contact for further information

If you have any further questions, please contact us via email at public.enquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk, or by telephone at 020 7035 4848.