1000+ Ukrainian refugees who have been residing on the cruiseferry Tallink Victoria I in Port Leith/Edinburgh (Scotland UK) since last summer will be relocated to new housing within the next two months, with the ship's contract ending on July 11th.
The Scottish government has confirmed that not all of the refugees will stay in Edinburgh, with other parts of Scotland also being considered.
In March, a similar arrangement ended in Glasgow where a cruise ship (MS Ambition) had been docked to house 1200 Ukrainians.
Those without accommodation to move into will be temporarily housed in hotels, with the Scottish government covering the costs.
The British Red Cross had previously criticized the housing of refugees on cruise ships, citing isolated and windowless cabins, and the charity suggested that the scheme left many still living in uncertainty.
A report presented to the City of Edinburgh Council housing committee has expressed concerns about sufficient accommodation being available when the MS Victoria contract expires. Nonetheless, many of the refugees have expressed a desire to remain in Edinburgh or nearby.