Dutch charter Two Tallink ferries for refugees
Plans to house refugees on charter boats in the Netherlands are moving forward despite criticism from aid organizations and opposition from local municipalities and residents. Details of the second and third ferries to be chartered have been confirmed as government officials continue to search for ports to receive the ships.
Eric van der Burg, the justice minister responsible for overseeing refugee efforts, told parliament of their plans that they have abandoned the widely derided plan to anchor ships off the Dutch coast. One of the refugee organizations had called the proposal “absurd” and equated it to imprisoning refugees.
The Dutch news paper NL Times quoted the refugee organization Vluchtelingenwerk Nederland as saying: “You don’t need research to think that you can’t do that to people who have fled war and violence. You welcome asylum seekers as a society and not far away at sea.”
The government is looking for shipyards to house the three ferries, saying they now expect the first ship to open by September 1. They cite the logistical problems of arranging transport back and forth to offshore vessels, as well as the challenges of ship delivery. ships while at anchor.
They are currently considering using a berth in Velsen, a municipality north of the North Sea Canal west of Amsterdam. The city council had previously said its berth was not suitable, but van der Burg said an investigation was underway to improve the berth for the ferry, which is likely to sail under the Cypriot flag. Aureliawhich is already believed on the way to Hollandvlissingen, near Belgium’s southern border, has been mentioned as one possible site despite local opposition, and Zaanstad recently rejected the plan citing pollution concerns.
While the dock search continues, Estonian ferry operator Tallink confirmed it has leased two more of its platforms to provide housing for refugees. The company, which has also previously chartered ships to Estonia and Scotland to offer accommodation, announced that it will deliver Silja Europa and Galaxy after a busy summer season in the Baltic Sea for Slaapschepen Public BV, an organization appointed by the Centraal Orgaan Opvang Asielzoekers (COA) in Holland to oversee accommodation.
The Silja EuropaThe 30-year-old ferry currently operates 22-hour journeys between Tallinn and Helsinki. The 59,900 gross ton ship has 1,500 cabins with a total capacity of 3,123 passengers. He will begin a seven-month charter on August 20, with the option to extend it for an additional three months. Joins him Galaxy, which was built in 2006 and has 795 cabins. Currently, his charter flight on the Turku-Stockholm route starts on September 30 and is also available for seven months with an option for three additional months.
Tallinki ferry Isabelle has been used since April to accommodate Ukrainian refugees in Estonia. The board recently removed the first of two possible two-month extensions for that charter. The company also recently delivered its ferry Victoria I Thu Scotland on a six month charter possibility to extend the contract for three months. The ferry started offering accommodation to its first refugees earlier this week.
Tallink expects to take delivery of its newly built multi-fuel ferry MyStar in September and use it as a replacement on the Tallinn-Helsinki route. Traffic on other routes, including Riga-Stockholm, was suspended until 2022 after the company ordered its ferries.