The Board of B&W issued an advice tonight about the future of the asylum ship in the port of Velsen-Noord. It advises the council to arrange shelter for 250 to 300 refugees until the end of 2024, on a small sea cruise ship at the VOB quay. In addition, it is requesting research into long-term shelter on land and deploys the Handgraaf location, or sports park de Elta.
Velsen has been looking for a location for months to accommodate about three hundred refugees for a longer period. At the moment, more than 200 asylum seekers are still camping on the De Silja Europa cruise ship at the same VOB quay in Velsen-Noord. Although until recently this was always referred to as a ‘temporary situation’, it is now clear that refugees will be accommodated until the end of 2024. With a smaller cruise, with room for about 250 to 300 people. It thus confirms the expectation that despite promises and a plebiscite, the reception location will remain on the VOB quay for the time being.
Investigate reception on land
In the longer term, the Board proposes to investigate which location on land can be used sustainably for the reception of asylum seekers. “We focus on the Handgraaf location, or the Elta sports park.”
Jopie Nijman has been standing up for the interests of Velsen-Noord for years and thinks that the reception of asylum seekers is too much of a burden for the socially vulnerable village. He said earlier today: “There’s just another ship coming to the VOB wharf and I don’t expect anything different to come out today.”
Nijman’s premonition turns out to be correct. Although the ship will be slightly smaller (and can accommodate between 250 and 300 refugees), the location will remain unchanged.