Working Conditions Aboard the Baltic-Princess

On March 17, 2026, a small fire erupted in the passenger sauna of the Baltic Princess while the vessel was docked at Värtahamnen in Stockholm. Fortunately, emergency services responded quickly to the incident, extinguishing the blaze without any injuries reported. The onboard passengers remained safe as most were ashore enjoying shopping in Stockholm at the time of the incident, and there was no need for evacuation. The situation was managed efficiently, ensuring the continued safety of all involved.

On January 20, 2026, at 10:55 PM, a call for assistance was made to the Swedish sea rescue fleet concerning a child who suffered injuries after a fall on the ferry, 'Baltic Princess.' The incident was reported by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), prompting the swift mobilization of the lifeboat 'Greta Dybeck' from Räfsnäs. Due to challenging weather conditions, including ice, the ambulance helicopter was unable to participate in the rescue operation. The 'Greta Dybeck' approached the vessel at an impressive speed of 34 knots. Given the circumstances, accessing the patient required navigating through the pilot gate of the ferry. With a height difference of about three meters, the rescue team coordinated the evacuation efficiently, securing the child's safe transfer to the lifeboat while aiding the mother down the pilot ladder simultaneously. Once the child was aboard, the lifeboat altered its course towards Kapellskär, where an ambulance awaited to facilitate the further transport to a hospital for necessary medical treatment. For additional details and visuals from the operation, check out the report here: [Swedish Sea Rescue Report](https://www.sjoraddning.se/larm/sjuktransport-fran-fartyget-baltic-princess?fbclid=Iwb21leAPfOddjbGNrA9851WV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHumJq2cbDeYRjFYUfzPCwITORuK3SnXEdf3x9Qdq1rDJm1NjlQOZfXg1aim9_aem_6vPY1j9mmf98xdf3IzDrlw).

On the evening of September 23, 2025, the ferry 'Baltic Princess' faced a minor incident prior to its scheduled departure from Värtahamnen, Stockholm, heading towards Turku. As the ferry prepared for its journey, there was a slight movement of both the vessel and the gangway, resulting in some damage to the sheet metal. Fortunately, no injuries were reported among passengers or crew. The ferry continued its operations as planned, successfully arriving in Turku on September 24. For further details and a photo of the incident, visit the report here: https://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/a/Rr77qd/aftonbladet-direkt?pinnedEntry=1405941&utm_source=androidapp&utm_medium=share&fbclid=Iwb21leANBLH5jbGNrA0ErbGV4dG4DYWVtAjExAAEeK3dHIvl7Q6iJKTTtAN-WvxNsoQLsg2hAX4qeiTgX9cX8P2Z4P8vcmajOozc_aem_lbk_KEmUPCVF-GkRTmSbzA.

The Swedish State Accident Investigation Board has released findings regarding a near-miss incident involving the ferry 'Baltic Princess' and the shuttle vessel 'Eskil' (MMSI: 265555080) that occurred off the coast of Stockholm on October 4, 2025. The investigation revealed that the 'Eskil' had departed from Ålstäket on a route to Ström Quay amidst dense fog conditions when it encountered a significant issue with an alarm originating from its starboard main engine. Despite attempts to reset the alarm, the crew opted to navigate directly towards Ström Quay while attempting to silence the persistent alarm and restart the malfunctioning engine. As a result of this circumstance, the 'Eskil' veered unexpectedly toward the port side of the fairway. It was at this point that the crew recognized the imminent presence of the 'Baltic Princess' directly ahead. In response, the captain of the 'Eskil' accelerated and made a starboard turn, prompting the 'Baltic Princess' to first veer to port before executing a sharp starboard turn to avoid a collision. The Swedish Maritime Safety Board indicated that the 'Eskil' passed alarmingly close to the bow of the 'Baltic Princess' during this episode. The investigation underscored that the high workload faced by the master of the 'Eskil', exacerbated by the alarm situation, distracted critical attention from navigation tasks, leading to the unintended port drift. A lack of familiarity with the onboard technical systems was also identified as a contributing factor. In light of the findings, the Swedish Maritime Safety Board has recommended that Djurgårdens Färjetrafik AB enhance their crew training to ensure thorough understanding of engine systems to effectively manage unforeseen situations.