Cruise ship arrives in Glasgow to accommodate Cop26 delegates
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A cruise ship called in to accommodate delegates attending Glasgow’s Cop26 event has arrived in Scotland.
Latvian-flagged vessel Romantika berthed at King George V dock, next to Braehead Shopping Centre in Renfrew.
A second ship, the MS Silja Europa, is due to arrive from Estonia this week.
With around 30,000 delegates expected at the climate change conference, which will take place on the banks of the Clyde, both vessels can accommodate just over 3,300 between them.
Tallink Grupp, which operates the cruise ships, said the “last-minute” request came at an “opportune” time, but put its staff under “extreme pressure” to deliver services ahead of Cop26.
Commenting on the charter agreement, Tallink’s chief executive Paavo Nogene said: “It is a great boost for the company and the employees, although of course it is also a huge challenge for us all in terms of the extremely short time we have for preparations and I know such last-minute agreements put our staff under extreme pressure for delivery.
“I am sincerely grateful to everyone for the valiant effort made and the level and quality of the service me manage to provide regardless of the immense pressure.”
The vessels have been called in amid a surge in demand for accommodation for those attending the conference.
Concerns have been raised about the cost and availability of accommodation in the city for the climate summit, which takes place from October 31 until November 12.
Earlier this week, the Scottish Government urged Scots to open their doors to attendees as part of a Cop26 Homestay Network, a programme set up to encourage families to offer a place to stay for free or for a low price.
