Bibby Stockholm

The ship was built in 1976 by Nederlandse Scheepsbouw, and converted into an accommodation barge in 1992.[3][4] It was formerly known as Floatel Stockholm and Dino I.[4]

From 1994 to 1998, it was used to house the homeless, including some asylum seekers, in Hamburg, Germany.[5][6]

In 2005, it was used by the Netherlands to house asylum seekers.[7][8]

In 2013, it was used by Petrofac as accommodation for construction workers at the Shetland Gas Plant.[9][10] During this time, it was berthed at Lerwick, Scotland.[11] In 2015, a man from Saltcoats, Ayrshire called His Majesty's Coastguard to report that two bombs had been planted on barges - the accommodation ship Gemini, and the Bibby Stockholm.[11] He admitted a charge of threatening or abusive behaviour and was sentenced to a six-month tagging order.[11] The barge was finally towed away from Lerwick by the Cypriot tug Mustang on 31 May 2017, although it had been unused for over a year.[12] It was towed to the Danish island of Bornholm.[13]

In August 2017, there was some discussion by a property management company about leasing the barge to provide university accommodation to 400 students in Galway, Ireland, along with the Bibby Bergen. However, the plan was generally not workable - the existing docks were not suitable, and the Supreme Court of Ireland had ruled that such a use would require planning permission.[14]

In June 2018, the barge was moved to Piteå, Sweden, to assist in the construction of Markbygden Wind Farm.[15] It stayed there until at least 2019.

In April 2023, the Government of the United Kingdom announced plans to use the ship to house asylum seekers at Portland Port in Dorset,[16] whereby it will stay in the port for at least 18 months, and will house around 500 single adult male asylum applicants. The barge would also contain healthcare provision, catering facilities, and 24-hour security.[17][18] The embarkation process would be phased and those living on the barge would be free to come and go with no curfew, although a telephone call would be made to any individuals not back by 11 pm each night.[19] The plans met opposition from local authorities—who are Conservatives, the party in government—asking about the security provisions to prevent attacks, background checks on those housed, and health and waste provisions, and demanding extra resources to pay for local services. Dorset Council was considering legal action to prevent the barge from arriving, planned for late June 2023.[20] As of 3 May 2023, the barge was being towed from Genoa, Italy, to Falmouth to be fitted out, then moved to Portland Port.[2]