The Ferry That Connects France To Africa Has Been Turned Into A Floating Hotel For 1,600 Ukrainian Refugees

Kapal feri Méditerranée Corsica Linea (Wikimedia Commons / Corsica Linea / Maeva Joly)

JAKARTA - A wave of international aid continues to arrive, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine which has entered its seventh week, leaving thousands of people dead and injured, and millions more forced to flee.

A number of countries in the world have stated that their international gates are open to welcome refugees from Ukraine, especially European countries that directly border or are adjacent to Ukraine.

However, it is possible for countries further afield to accommodate Ukrainian refugees, such as France. In the city of Marseille, a ferry has been converted into a floating hotel to accommodate up to 1,600 Ukrainian refugees.

Being one of the largest ships in the Corsica Linea fleet, the 'Méditerranée' ferry usually carries passengers connecting France, Algeria and Tunisia on the Balaeric Sea.

It is known that these ferries can reach speeds of up to 44 kilometers per hour, carrying more than 2,450 travelers and 700 vehicles at each crossing.

But the ship has now returned to port, where it will act as a home away from home for the millions of Ukrainians who fled the Russian invasion.

"We have a moral requirement to welcome and show hospitality," said Christophe Mirmand, representative of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in France, as quoted from Euronews April 10.

"This floating hotel will be provided for them, as well as social assistance, health care, training, education for children, child care and child care," he said.

Since the start of the Russian invasion on February 24, more than 3.9 million citizens have been forced to leave Ukraine. As a humanitarian response, France granted refugees temporary European Union residence permits, which would allow them to access education and employment in the country.

“We are dealing with people who have just experienced conflict,” says Jean-Pierre Esterni, a volunteer doctor operating at the 'Méditerranée'.

"We will offer psychological support and friendship. Everything is arranged on board the ferry so we can detect these problems and help wherever we can," he concluded.