By Joyce Landry

The eyes of the world are on Cornwall, England, as the picturesque seaside village of Carbis Bay prepares to host world leaders during the June G7 Summit. But the Cornwall police had a challenge, and I’m honored to say Landry & Kling Global Cruise Services found the solution: floating accommodations!  The Devon/Cornwall Police contacted Landry & Kling to source a housing vessel and we worked together to turn this into a viable solution.

With limited hotel rooms available in Carbis Bay,  the police needed alternative options to accommodate their expanded security force during the high-profile global event. This will be the first in-person meeting of the G7 in two years and is the largest police operation in England this year. Bringing in an accommodation ship was an ideal option for solving the additional housing needs for the small coastal Country of Cornwall.

The G7 Accommodation Ship Solution

Through our partnership with Bibby Maritime UK, we sourced and brokered the cruise ferry Silja Europa to house 1,000 Cornwall police officers and staff during the G7 Summit.

Our company was also involved with logistics for the project, including coordination with Falmouth Port, the ship, port agent, and UK Port Health.  We had less than four weeks to handle the myriad details for this large-scale project that would normally take a year or longer to execute – and we accomplished it all in record time!

Additional Health & Safety Measures

Since Silja Europa is one of the first ships to operate in the UK since the pandemic, we’ve been working closely with Port Health to make sure the Covid protocols of the vessel and the police are in compliance, including social distancing. For that reason, there will only be 1,000 police officers and staff housed on board a ship with a capacity of over 3,000.  

Why We Recommended Silja Europa 

In researching ship options for the Cornwall police, Landry & Kling took into account environmental impacts, operational requirements, and the needs of officers and staff. The Silja Europa was the ideal solution.

The ship offers good accommodations and food service and will keep the security forces nearby and in close communication. During the G7 event, the vessel’s bars, nightclub, spa and hairdressers will be closed, and no alcohol will be served or sold onboard. 

Silja Europa, operated by Tallink Grupp, will reposition from Estonia to be docked in Falmouth, Cornwall for 10 days where it will serve as a floating hotel and meeting space for the policing operation. I will be in Falmouth when the ship arrives to document this historic event, so stay tuned for updates!

Read more about the G7 Cruise Ferry Accommodation Project.

Need Floating Accommodations for Workforce Housing or a Major Event?

Landry & Kling is here to help! Let us find the perfect accommodation vessel for your charter project. For more information please call Landry & Kling Global Cruise Services at 786-594-0732, or send an email to inquiry@landrykling.com.