Portland Port: factsheet
Updated 28 November 2024
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/asylum-accommodation-portland-port/portland-port-factsheet
What is happening with the barge?
The Bibby Stockholm has been used for the full duration of the contract to get maximum value for the taxpayer, but as part of the government’s commitment to fix the asylum system and cut asylum costs, that contract has not been renewed. A Home Office statement from July announcing that decision can be viewed here. All individuals staying on the Bibby Stockholm have now been relocated, and the decommissioning process has begun to return the barge to its previous condition, ahead of the lease ending in January.
Have the asylum seekers from the barge been moved into hotels?
No. Since the decision was made not to renew the Bibby Stockholm contract in July, many have had their claims processed. Individuals who still require accommodation have now been dispersed into alternative accommodation elsewhere in the country. No one has been transferred to hotel accommodation. The Home Office remains determined to end the use of hotels over time, as part of the government’s commitment to cut the costs of asylum accommodation and fix the wider asylum system.
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 from the Bibby Stockholm has been moved to Portland, Weymouth, or the wider Dorset Council area.
When did the removal of people from the barge take place?
They were moved off the barge in a phased and carefully managed process, with the numbers on board gradually decreasing over a period of months since July. Their asylum cases have been progressed or are being progressed as part of plans to clear the asylum backlog, with each claim determined on its own merits in line with current policy and guidance.
When will the barge leave Portland?
Now the Bibby Stockholm has been decanted, a mandatory decommissioning process will occur to return the vessel to its previous condition prior to the end of the lease in January. Any decisions around its future use will be made by its owner, Bibby Marine, and they will liaise with Portland Port on the timing of its eventual departure.
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. Any local staff who have been employed on the barge will be fully supported before and during the closure process by their current employer. The Home Office will support this process in any way we can.
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.
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.