First group of asylum seekers delayed on Portland Barge

As previously reported, the first 50 asylum seekers were due to move onto the barge at Portland Port this week.

The barge has been docked at the Port since Tuesday July 18, and work has been done to install CCTV all over the vessel as well as preparing rooms and facilities for the arrival of the asylum seekers.

On Friday said work still needed to be completed on the entrance to the barge and carpets which would be removed and changed on the first floor of the barge.

The Home Office would not confirm when the asylum seekers would arrive but said that it would not be this week.

A Home Office spokesperson said: "We are working to get the first cohort of asylum seekers on as soon as possible.

"However that is not going to be this week."

The Home Office did not give a reason for the delay, but it is understood to be due to delays in work needed on the barge.

On Wednesday July 19, the Home Office initially said the first asylum seekers would be set to move in from this week.

A spokesperson for the Home Office said: "The Bibby Stockholm has now arrived at Portland Port.

"From next week about 50 asylum seekers will be moved on to the vessel as part of a carefully structured plan to increase the number of individuals on board over the next few months.

"The government is providing substantial funding to local services including the police and NHS to support them and minimise the impact on the local community, with catering, recreational areas and basic health care provision on board."

The barge will eventually house 506 single male asylum seekers at full capacity.

When it was purchased by the Home Office, the Bibby Stockholm had just 222 rooms.

It was revealed later that the men would be housed in mainly twin rooms, with twenty rooms of 4 and 2 rooms of 6.

An example twin room aboard the Bibby Stockholm (Image: PA)

The twin rooms house two people on a bunk bed, in a tiny room around 10ft long and 6ft wide.