Silja-Europa

The 'Silja Europa' will leave Velsen-North in IJmuiden around July 1, 2023. Of the 1000 asylum seekers who stayed there, 264 actually remained. They will then temporarily move to other emergency shelters in the area. At the end of August or September they will return to Velsen-Noord, where they will be accommodated aboard a smaller ship at the same berth of the VOB quay. The 'Silja Europe' has been stationary since Sep 21, 2022. It was the intention that the ship would stay until last March 1, but that ended up being much longer. Most asylum seekers who stayed abkard the 'Silja Europa' have already been transferred to other reception locations in the Netherlands. The remaining 264 people have ties in the region, such as the children who go to school in Castricum and Heemskerk and their families. It is unclear where exactly they will be houzsed until the new ship arrives. It was not entirely clear when the 'Silja Europa' will leave exactly, as it depends on a number of factors, such as the weather conditions for mooring. The ship will go to Rotterdam and become a transfer location for status holders there.

The 'Silja Europa', on which asylum seekers are received, will remain in Velsen-North for another six weeks. From April 23, only about 220 people will be allowed on board, instead of the thousand of now. This is the outcome of a council meeting on March 23, 2023. The council's plan to continue to receive more than 200 asylum seekers 'with links to the region' in the municipality, but on a smaller river cruise ship, must be implemented as soon as possible. The problem: the intended locations in IJmuiden or Velsen-North or in Zijkanaal C still have to be made suitable. Only the school-going children, their families (about 170 people) and the ship's inhabitants who are doing an internship in the region (about 50 people) are allowed to stay on the 'Silja Europa' after April 23 and then be transferred to another ship. The rest of the thousand people must be accommodated elsewhere in the Netherlands.

On Sep 21, the 'Silja Europa', which will receive 1,000 asylum seekers until February, arrived in IJmuiden and berthed in Velsen-Noord. SHe had left Tallinn on Sep 17 and passed through the IJmuiden sea lock between 6 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. An hour later the ship arrived at the VOB quay. The Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA) needs about three to five days to prepare the ship and the quay for the reception. It was not yet clear when the first asylum seekers will come to Velsen-Noord. Report with photo and video: https://www.rtvseaport.nl/2022/09/21/asielschip-komt-aan-in-velsen-noord/