Both boats in Meppel, where refugees are received, will remain moored until at least March next year. The period of one boat had already been extended until next year, but it has now also been decided for the second boat that refugees will be accommodated here for longer.
At the end of last year, a second asylum boat docked in Meppel, near the harbour. This would initially remain in place for a period of three to six months, but has now been extended until March 2024. 110 refugees will be accommodated on this boat.
“At the request of the COA, it has been decided that this place can be used longer for housing refugees on a boat,” a spokesman for the municipality responds. The exploitation of the shelter has been in the hands of the COA since 1 February. The municipality did this during the first months of the shelter. Local residents were informed of the extension by the COA over the weekend.
A little further on is another refugee boat, near the fire station. 98 refugees are housed there. That boat has been there since November 2021. This shelter is also managed by COA.